University of Tehran Researchers Unveil Surena IV
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian roboticists have unveiled Surena IV, a new robot that is a major improvement over previous designs.
A little over a decade ago, researchers at the University of Tehran introduced a rudimentary humanoid robot called Surena. An improved model capable of walking, Surena II, was announced not long after, followed by the more capable Surena III in 2015.
A team of more than 50 researchers built Surena IV at the University of Tehran’s Center for Advanced Systems and Technologies (CAST). Led by Dr. Aqil Yousefi-Koma, a professor of mechanical engineering, the group worked for the past four years to develop the new robot.
Surena IV is also more nimble. Custom force sensors on the bottom of its feet help the robot step over uneven surfaces by adjusting the angle and position of each foot. Walking speed increased to 0.7 kilometers per hour from 0.3 km/h in the previous generation.
While Surena IV is not a highly dynamic machine-like Atlas, the famously agile humanoid from Boston Dynamics, it relies on a whole-body motion controller that continuously adjusts its posture to avoid falls. In its overall design, Surena is probably more comparable to humanoids like UBTECH’s Walker, Honda’s Asimo, Pal Robotics’ Talos, KAIST’s Hubo, and AIST’s HRP-2, although these robots have already publicly demonstrated a broader range of capabilities.
A little over a decade ago, researchers at the University of Tehran introduced a rudimentary humanoid robot called Surena. An improved model capable of walking, Surena II, was announced not long after, followed by the more capable Surena III in 2015.
A team of more than 50 researchers built Surena IV at the University of Tehran’s Center for Advanced Systems and Technologies (CAST). Led by Dr. Aqil Yousefi-Koma, a professor of mechanical engineering, the group worked for the past four years to develop the new robot.
Surena IV is also more nimble. Custom force sensors on the bottom of its feet help the robot step over uneven surfaces by adjusting the angle and position of each foot. Walking speed increased to 0.7 kilometers per hour from 0.3 km/h in the previous generation.
While Surena IV is not a highly dynamic machine-like Atlas, the famously agile humanoid from Boston Dynamics, it relies on a whole-body motion controller that continuously adjusts its posture to avoid falls. In its overall design, Surena is probably more comparable to humanoids like UBTECH’s Walker, Honda’s Asimo, Pal Robotics’ Talos, KAIST’s Hubo, and AIST’s HRP-2, although these robots have already publicly demonstrated a broader range of capabilities.