Virginia Tech researchers reveal full-sized CHARLI-L humanoid robot (update: video!)
By Donald Melanson 
posted April 26th 2010 1:32PM
posted April 26th 2010 1:32PM
Dr. Dennis Hong was kind enough to give us a glimpse the CHARLI robot on The Engadget Show this weekend -- or its leg, anyway -- but he and his students have just now finally revealed the full-sized bot that's been described as a "robot teenager." As we'd heard, CHARLI is actually a series of robots that initially consists of the 5-foot tall CHARLI-L (or lightweight, pictured above), and the forthcoming CHARLI-H (or heavy), both of which are completely autonomous, with a full range of movements and gestures thanks to a series of pulleys, springs, carbon fiber rods, and actuators (not to mention some slightly more mysterious AI). What's more, while CHARLI-L is currently restricted to walking on flat surfaces, CHARLI-H promises to be able to walk on the uneven ground around the Virginia Tech campus, and eventually even be able to "run, jump, kick, open doors, pick up objects, and do just about anything a real person can do." Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any video of CHARLI-L in action just yet, and it is still somewhat of a work in progress -- the researchers say it will be able to speak soon, and they're also busily working to improve its soccer skills in time for this year's RoboCup.
[Thanks, Kyle]
Update: Video is now after the break!
[Thanks, Kyle]
Update: Video is now after the break!
He looks to be trash talking.
@Jason B
It looks like he's practicing the pose he will strike after he has choked his creators to death.
Either that or he's auditioning for Platoon 2.
@LAY
Nah, more like his response when Will Smith tells him he hates robots.
(For those who don't get the joke, it's a reference to iRobot)
@Jason B Does it go thru puberty as well?
@Gamecheater http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Ptitle0t9r68ih?from=Main.DontExplainTheJoke
You're doing it wrong.
@Gamecheater
DOWNRANK HEEEEEEM!
@Jason B
i think its more of a:
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
kind of look...
@Jason B I wonder what will be the reactions of the developers with this robotic mouth.. http://j.mp/creepiest-robot-on-earth
@Jason B
teenage robot
i didnt know robots knew how to smoke weed!
@LAY
so... he has choked at least one of us before, in fact, back when we built the first upper body the arms went haywire the first time we turned them on and slapped someone, I think I have some posed pics somewhere around here...
http://www.narmd.com/photos/CHARLI/IMG_0118.JPG
"run, jump, kick open doors, pick up objects..." That's how I read this the first time, had to reread to confirm I read it wrong lol
@strawe it hasn't been taught how to hold a pulse rifle yet....but give it time.
A robot teenager? At 5 feet? If there are any teens that are that small, I pity them.
@HikaKao You were more than 5' at 13?
@d0mth0ma5 Well, it does say teenager, isn't that a range from 13 to 19?
@coden1ke Yeah, but HikaKao said that he felt sorry for ANY teenager under 5'.
@d0mth0ma5 I'm not very good with the Imperial system, but I was around 170 cm I think. Definitely not 5 feet (my converter says that's 152 cm). And so were most of my classmates.
@HikaKao Average height for boys is about 62" (157cm) at 13, girls is 63" (160cm). So yeah 5' is below average, but not by much. This is USA data.
@d0mth0ma5 Sorry, 165~167cm. And I'm not from America, I'm European, I live in the Faroe Islands. :P I'm 15 now, going on 16, and I'm around 180 cm, all the other boys are either around my height or a bit smaller/taller.
Slightly off topic, but what the heck.
@HikaKao English, I know the Faroes, you drew with the Scots (twice) thereby winning admiration and numerous puns about it being a good job they weren't playing the whole of Egypt.
Tangent over, maybe.
Love it!
It just kinda reminds me of something...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJDztqCG91g
@strawe
-1 for being an insensitive a-hole
Offending comment's been deleted, so now my "a-hole" comment's hanging out here in limbo. Might as well delete it too, Engadget.
Aha, Finally some one to go to school for me!
On a friendlier note . . .
How 'bout some video up in here?
Hokie Hokie Hokie Hi Tech Tech VPI Solarex Solara Poly Tech VirginiA!
And they couldn't bring this guy to the Engadget show in Saturday because why?
Looks like he'sa saying "wuh, you wanna piece of me?"
Looks like he's saying "wuh, you wanna piece of me?"
@shishi
Let the caption contest begin...
"East side son!"
@shishi
I was thinking more like : "CHARLI-EL! REP-RAH-ZENT! YEA BOIIIIi!!!!!"
@KyleLipp
"STELLLLLAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"
(throws up hands in disgust) "These humans just keep coming and coming. Gotta stop at some point and clean up the bodies....."
Bring on the clone wars.
Can it clean my house wash the sishes and my clothes?
@Billy Gun
I don't think he was made to wash anyone...
"i'll holla!"
Charli bit me
Charli bit me
That Charlie is out of the box.
Axes at the ready, its knees are its weak spots.
@Professor Hubert J Farnsworth
Can you say robot world domination?!
Can it juggle?
why do we human beings copy ourselves as an image for these robots. WHy go bi-pedal when you can go for 3, 4 legs, arms, heads.
I'm going to intentionally distort this post, and take it to mean that this robot is going to run around kicking open doors on campus.
If this is true, that will make this robot mankind's greatest achievement to date.
"Bitches don't know bout my carbon fiber actuators"
What's more, while CHARLI-L is currently restricted to walking on flat surfaces, CHARLI-H promises to be able to walk on the uneven ground around the Virginia Tech campus, and eventually even be able to "run, jump, kick, open doors, pick up objects, and do just about anything a real person can do."
I totally read "kick, open doors" as "kick open doors" and for a second I thought that this robot was gonna be the coolest thing ever.
I really thought it said "kick open doors" and therefor its nickname would obviously be changed to Chuck N.
It doesn't talk back, and it can't get a boner. How can you honestly call this a robot teenager?
Go Hokies.