The Most Advanced Humanoid Robot Ever Created! – GR-2 Fourier
Breaking! The new debutant of the second generation, called GR-2, is Shanghai’s Fourier Intelligence robot. It is larger, more muscular, more intelligent, and in all aspects significantly improved over the precursor to the series, the GR-1. This new humanoid is going to shake things up – and not only within the communities of tech geeks, but within the target real-life users who will, perhaps, eventually require the assistance of these robots.
Well to those people for a moment let me remind you, the GR-1 when it came into the scene was not to shabby at all. It said it had 300 newton meters of torque which enabled it to pull a load near its own weight, roughly 55 kilograms. But the design was a bit… skeletal. So let’s be fair – from there, it resembled a border-line sci-fi movie prop, somewhat flimsy, and certainly somewhat lacking in the practicality that one would want in a daily companion robot. It didn’t even have hands! But it had these purple plastic grab rails on the area of its pelvis, which also served the purpose but hardly lacks sophistication.
But the GR-2? Oh man, the GR-2 is dog of a different color altogether. It is sturdier, has better grip, and it has come with more actual use applications. So in this video, let me explain to you in detail what’s special about this enhanced version of this model, its position within the ongoing humanoid robot market, and its implications for robotics.
Let’s start with the basics: Size and Strength
Photo credit: Fourier
What will immediately be apparent with the GR-2, then is that it is… larger. The actual dimensions were the following: the GR-1 was approximately 165 cm tall or slightly over 5 feet 5 inches – the GR-2 is tall compared to this at around 175 cm or 5 feet 9 inches. This is about the height of a lot of adults which makes it feasible to engage the humans in homes or healthcare facilities. The GR-2 also comes and measures 63 kilograms in weight, 8 kilograms heftier than the GR-1. And that added heft is not for looks, as the GR-2 is powered by more robust motors that deliver even more kick.
However, the company fitted the GR-1 with a new kind of actuator which had 300 newton meters of torque and with this the robot was able to pull off some pretty amazing stunts of power. But the GR-2? We’re looking at 380 newton meters of torque in its biggest motors. To put that in perspective, that’s the amount of power needed to lift a patient into a wheelchair or heavy furniture or even operate some sort of industrial equipment. Although Fourier has not yet publicly divulged the all up lifting power scheme, we must assume a marked increase over the abilities of the GR-1 let alone the Vajra.
A Robot with Hands – Finally!
Now, one of the biggest upgrades in the GR-2 is something that seems pretty basic for a humanoid robot: hands! It had none; the GR-1 used those purple handholds to lift and to shift objects. However, it seems Fourier received this feedback and the GR-2 has been fitted with a working set of robotic hands.
So let me spend a moment to discuss these hands, because they are one of the most important components in any humanoid robot. Both of the GR-2 hands has twelve degrees of freedom. By comparison, a human hand has around 27 axes of motion, so it’s still not quite at the human-level manipulation, but we’re not far off. Even far more impressive is the fact that the hands of the GR-2 can also measure tactile force, so the robot can feel out shapes and familiarise itself with the materials, the grip pressures which can be changed in realtime and the reaction of the environment. Hence, it has much more to do not only with appendectomy but more precisely – with safe and wide appendectomy.
It can hold up to 3 kilograms at each hand. That might not sound like a lot, but think about the types of tasks this robot is being designed for: services for caring the elderly or disabled, transportation, or for performing simple functions such as cleaning. In such uses, measurement and stability are much more desirable than raw power. It won’t be lifting crates in a manufacturing unit like some of the more literal robotic employees that we have come across, but that is not the concept here either.
Designed for Real Life Engagement
Phrased differently, who is the GR-2 for? Fourier has been very specific with the fact that their humanoid robots are home helpers and can only be used to assist elderly and disabled patients. And when you think of how populations are aging, especially the ageing population in Japan, China, some parts of Europe, it just makes a lot of sense. These countries are in deep trouble of acute human carer deficiency. Maybe that is why robots such as the GR-2 could prove useful in helping these people with lifting them up off a bed or chair and placing them back down, or in moving around the house or even in providing physiotherapy.
This purpose is well reflected in the design of the GR-2. The GR-2 incorporates all of these features just like the GR-1 including these grab rails at the pelvis area to assist in the stability of the wearer when he is helping to move someone. These handles sort of give the robot a medical or rehabilitation flair, but they are so useful for what the robot is supposed to do. And with enhanced power from its 380 newton meter actuators, the GR-2 is not only capable of lifting people it was designed for that purpose.
A Robotics Developer’s Dream
But, the brains behind this thing are what I want to discuss now. GR-2 is a learning platform built for commercial and academic purposes. It integrates with other typical and public robotic development platforms containing ROS, MuJoCo and Nvidia’s Isaac Lab. And if you are a developer, nothing could be more exciting at this point.
The robot’s onboard AI systems are programmed to learn either by watching or by doing it themselves. In different ways, you are the master of the GR-2 – the VR telepresence which lets you command the robot through a control room, or direct commands. But one of the coolest methods is called lead through programming. That I physically take its limbs and guide then towards what I wish the animal to do. Such practice-based training would allow teaching the robot new actions easily, most importantly in realistic settings like a person’s house.
It’s not even close to becoming a complete consumer product as of now, but Fourier has been producing the GR-1 in volume for development allies. These robots are being taken to research labs, universities and commercial robotics centers the world over where developers can fiddle with the robots, load up new applications, and work toward improving the artificial intelligence to make these robots even more useful.
A Modular, Practical Design
Besides all of that the GR-2 is actually modular in design. This places emphasis on the concept that the components of the robotic structure can be replaced or modified one at a time without necessitating a reconstructive redesign of the entire structure. This is concerning long use and maintenance of the Bulb, it is a big deal. In addition, all cables and wiring systems are incorporated within the robot and its bodywork are neater than those of the previous model as well. This framework raises sensible practical questions that Fourier seems to have pondered while considering real world application.
This means that maintenance is easy and the costs are low; it also helps to go from simulation on the computer to practice. And that’s important because it reminds us that a future where polite humanoid robots aren’t science fiction – they’re assisting individuals at home, in hospitals, and everywhere.
This feature brings the Broader Humanoid Robot Race.
Photo credit: Fourier
However, it’s not solely Fourier that is exploring the limits of the humanoid robots. This is an area where China is betting big time. Currently, the government portrays itself as aiming to launch humanoid robots in mass production by 2025 and totally dominating the global market by 2027. And it’s not just Fourier. In the past year, one of China’s tech giants, Tencent, unveiled their robot, the Xiaowu, which implements both bipedal and wheeled functionality to help people in such spaces as homes and heath care facilities.
Other Chinese firms are not being left behind either In September, Chinese property developer, Country Garden made its debut on the HKSE, raising $5.3 billion. Pudoo Robotics unveiled the Pudoo D7, a semihumanoid that can climb with enough autonomy to take elevators and deliver objects in hospitality and healthcare facilities. Another example is the Versabot BB1 developed by Langston Robotics and that has a great deal of artificial intelligence coupled with cameras to enable it to detect surrounding objects and environment. However, it also seems that Unitree Robotics has its solution in the shape of the G1, which is smaller and more affordable.
The humanoid race is on all over the world, and now; China is joining the bandwagon. Fourier has the GR-2 that could fulfill a specific need on this market but they aren’t alone in their quest to humanize robots.
A Look Ahead
Therefore, it can be asked what all this implies for the future? Well, the GR-2 is a huge leap towards increasing the utility, performance, usability in real world situations of humanoid robots. It is still a long ways off from replacing factories or office jobs but it is well on its way to have a large impact on healthcare, home care and the like.
This is far more important, the fact that the development platform offered with the GR-2 is opensource means that developers from all over the world are going to be able to affect the growth of such robots. What we are discussing is the ability of the machines similar to the GR-2 to change, gain knowledge, and solve a number of tasks more difficult with the course of time. And that’s exciting!