Fourier Intelligence’s GR-1 humanoid robot leverages a sophisticated multi-camera system for an all-encompassing view of its surroundings, foregoing a next-gen sensor suite with radar and LiDAR. Instead, the GR-1 employs six RGB cameras strategically placed around its frame, offering a 360-degree perspective of its environment. This innovative setup not only facilitates the creation of a bird’s-eye-view map but also uses a neural network to interpret the data, generating 3D spatial features and virtual objects. The technology translates this data into a three-dimensional occupancy grid, allowing the GR-1 to distinguish between passable and impassable areas.
Recent outdoor walking tests highlighted the GR-1’s efficiency and accuracy in real-time detection of vehicles and pedestrians along sidewalks, echoing Tesla’s 2021 move towards vision-centric systems. This approach significantly cuts hardware costs while enhancing environmental perception, aiming for safer and more efficient operations with human-like precision.
The latest GR-1 model exhibits a striking evolution from its skeletal, open-faced predecessors. According to Fourier’s product page, the GR-1 can walk with a human-like gait on various surfaces, aided by adaptive balance algorithms that maintain stability on slopes. It boasts 54 degrees of freedom across its body, including three in the head and waist, seven in each arm, eleven in each five-digit hand, and six in each leg, with a peak joint torque of 230 Nm. Notably, it features fashionable purple hip bumpers, adding a touch of style.
AI capabilities of the GR-1 include a ChatGPT-like multimodal language model, advanced semantic knowledge, natural language processing, and logical reasoning. The once bare head now features a high-definition display, audio speakers, and a microphone. The comprehensive vision system enhances its mapping, navigation, obstacle detection, and collision avoidance abilities.
Roger Cai, the company’s director of robot application research and development, emphasized that this pure vision solution marks a significant milestone in embodied AI research. The GR-1 is poised for diverse applications, including medical rehabilitation, family services, reception and guidance, security inspection, emergency rescue, and industrial manufacturing. This advancement underscores Fourier Intelligence’s commitment to pioneering the future of humanoid robotics.