Device that Allows a Robot to Mimic a Person's Moves

Engineers from Future Robotics Technology Center (fuRo), a division of the Chiba Institute of Technology, recently presented their latest invention - Wireless Intelligent Networked Device (WIND), which is a master-slave controller that consists of small SiP (System in Package) processors (measuring 50x35mm) connected to 3D position sensorsinstalled on a vest and able to identify body motions.
Every time the wearer of the vest makes a move, the latter is transformed into robot commands that are wirelessly conveyed through Bluetooth and which, in the end, make the robot mimic the respective move.
The current invention allows to user to control only the movements of the arms. However, a full-body movement technology is being developed by engineers from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology. At the same time the accuracy and speed remain the main challenges that the Japanese engineers face with their latest invention.