Origami robots that reshape and transform themselves | Jamie Paik

翻译人员: Yanyan Hong 校对人员: Jiasi Hao

As a roboticist, I get asked a lot of questions.

作为一个机器人科学家， 我经常被问到很多问题。

"When we will they start serving me breakfast?"

“什么时候才会有机器人 帮我做早饭？”

So I thought the future of robotics would be looking more like us.

我认为未来的机器人 会跟我们长得很像。

I thought they would look like me,

我觉得他们会长得和我一样，

so I built eyes that would simulate my eyes.

所以我为它们制作了眼睛， 以我的眼睛作为模拟范本。

I built fingers that are dextrous enough to serve me ...

我为机器人研制了 足够灵活的手指，来帮我……

baseballs.

投棒球。

Classical robots like this

像这样的传统机器人

are built and become functional

是基于固定数量的

based on the fixed number of joints and actuators.

关节和制动器来执行它的功能，

And this means their functionality and shape are already fixed

这意味着在设计构思它们的阶段， 其功能和外形

at the moment of their conception.

就已基本固定了。

So even though this arm has a really nice throw --

也就是说，虽然这个 机械臂扔球扔得很准——

it even hit the tripod at the end--

准到完美击中三脚架——

it's not meant for cooking you breakfast per se.

但它并不能给你做早饭，

It's not really suited for scrambled eggs.

比如炒鸡蛋。

So this was when I was hit by a new vision of future robotics:

所以我对未来的机器人 产生了新的构想：

the transformers.

那就是“变形金刚”。

They drive, they run, they fly,

这种机器人可以根据 执行的任务和环境的不同，

all depending on the ever-changing, new environment and task at hand.

在驾驶、奔跑、飞行 三种模式间自由切换。

To make this a reality,

为了实现这个构想，

you really have to rethink how robots are designed.

我们必须重新思考 机器人的设计方式。

So, imagine a robotic module in a polygon shape

想象一个多边形的机器人模块，

and using that simple polygon shape

并且用这一个简单的多边形模块

to reconstruct multiple different forms

去“折”成各种不同的形状，

to create a new form of robot for different tasks.

去拼成一个新的机器人 来完成各种不同的任务。

In CG, computer graphics, it's not any news --

在计算机绘图领域， 这不是什么新鲜事——

it's been done for a while, and that's how most of the movies are made.

它已经应用多年， 而且大多数电影都采用这项技术。

But if you're trying to make a robot that's physically moving,

但要建造一个 身体可以移动的机器人，

it's a completely new story.

就完全是另一回事了。

It's a completely new paradigm.

没有前例可循。

But you've all done this.

但是，我们都干过类似的事。

Who hasn't made a paper airplane, paper boat, paper crane?

那便是，我们都折过纸， 无论是纸飞机、纸船，还是千纸鹤。

Origami is a versatile platform for designers.

以设计师的角度来看， 折纸艺术是一个变化多端的过程，

From a single sheet of paper, you can make multiple shapes,

用一张纸，你就可以折出各种形状，

and if you don't like it, you unfold and fold back again.

如果你不喜欢这个作品， 可以拆开来，再折出另外的东西。

Any 3D form can be made from 2D surfaces by folding,

任何 3D 立体形式都可以 由 2D 平面折叠而成，

and this is proven mathematically.

这在数学上得到了证明。

And imagine if you were to have an intelligent sheet

再想象一下， 要是有一张智能化的纸，

that can self-fold into any form it wants,

这张纸可以随时随地自己折成

anytime.

任何形状。

And that's what I've been working on.

这就是我致力于创造的

I call this robotic origami,

“全自动折纸机器人”，

"robogami."

简称 “折纸机器人（robogami）”。

This is our first robogami transformation

这是我十年前做的 第一代 “折纸机器人”

that was made by me about 10 years ago.

首次变型的过程。

From a flat-sheeted robot,

它从一个平面

it turns into a pyramid and back into a flat sheet

变成了金字塔，然后再变回来，

and into a space shuttle.

接着又变成航天飞机的形状。

Quite cute.

很可爱吧!

Ten years later, with my group of ninja origami robotic researchers --

十年后的今天，我的 忍者折纸机器人研究团队——

about 22 of them right now --

我们现在大概有 22 个人——

we have a new generation of robogamis,

已经做出了新一代的折纸机器人，

and they're a little more effective and they do more than that.

它的执行效率更高， 能完成的事情也更多。

So the new generation of robogamis actually serve a purpose.

这代折纸机器人是有实际用途的，

For example, this one actually navigates through different terrains autonomously.

比方说，这个机器人 能根据实际地形来自主导航。

So when it's a dry and flat land, it crawls.

在干燥和平坦的地面， 它会以爬行的方式前进。

And if it meets sudden rough terrain,

要是地表凹凸不平，

it starts rolling.

它就采用翻滚模式。

It does this -- it's the same robot --

虽然是同一个机器人，

but depending on which terrain it meets,

但现在它能根据不同地形

it activates a different sequence of actuators that's on board.

激活不同的驱动器， 从而采取不同的移动方式。

And once it meets an obstacle, it jumps over it.

当它遇到障碍物时， 还能直接跳过去，

It does this by storing energy in each of its legs

这是通过在机器人腿部储存 并释放能量来完成的。

and releasing it and catapulting like a slingshot.

于是机器人 就会像弹弓一样弹起来，

And it even does gymnastics.

它甚至还能做体操动作。

Yay.

耶！

(Laughter)

（笑声）

So I just showed you what a single robogami can do.

你们刚刚看到了 一个折纸机器人所能实现的，

Imagine what they can do as a group.

更不用说如果有一群 这样的机器人了，

They can join forces to tackle more complex tasks.

它们可以联合起来 完成更复杂的任务，

Each module, either active or passive,

每个模组，不论是主动式， 还是被动式模组，

we can assemble them to create different shapes.

我们都能够组合它们 来创造出各种不同的形状。

Not only that, by controlling the folding joints,

不仅如此，通过控制 它们的可折叠关节，

we're able to create and attack different tasks.

我们还可以创造并攻克不同的任务。

The form is making new task space.

灵活多变的组合形状 正在开拓机器人的新任务空间。

And this time, what's most important is the assembly.

此时，最重要的任务便是组合。

They need to autonomously find each other in a different space,

我们得让机器人能自主找到彼此，

attach and detach, depending on the environment and task.

并根据环境和任务的需要， 合体或者分离，

And we can do this now.

这已经实现了。

So what's next?

那下一步是什么？

Our imagination.

突破我们的想象力。

This is a simulation of what you can achieve

这是我们可以通过该模组

with this type of module.

实现的机器人模拟。

We decided that we were going to have a four-legged crawler

我们决定把这个四腿爬行的机器人

turn into a little dog and make small gaits.

变成一条小狗， 再让它小步走路。

With the same module, we can actually make it do something else:

同一个模组， 我们也可以做成别的东西：

a manipulator, a typical, classical robotic task.

做一个机械臂， 一种典型的传统式机器人。

So with a manipulator, it can pick up an object.

机械臂，顾名思义可以抓取物品。

Of course, you can add more modules to make the manipulator legs longer

当然，你还可以添加 更多模组使机械臂更长，

to attack or pick up objects that are bigger or smaller,

来抓取更大或更小的物体，

or even have a third arm.

或者甚至是装第三只手臂。

For robogamis, there's no one fixed shape nor task.

折纸机器人 是没有特定的形状或功能的。

They can transform into anything, anywhere, anytime.

它们能随时随地变换成任何形状。

So how do you make them?

那我们如何制造它们？

The biggest technical challenge of robogami is keeping them super thin,

技术上的最大挑战 就是实现超薄化，

flexible,

具有灵活性，

but still remaining functional.

但同时确保实用功能。

They're composed of multiple layers of circuits, motors,

每个单一的机体内都是 由多层电路，马达，

microcontrollers and sensors,

微控制器

all in the single body,

以及传感器组成的。

and when you control individual folding joints,

在控制单个折叠接头时，

you'll be able to achieve soft motions like that

我们的命令能让机器人

upon your command.

实现这样的软运动。

Instead of being a single robot that is specifically made for a single task,

不像其他机器人那样 局限于单一功能，

robogamis are optimized to do multi-tasks.

折纸机器人的优势在于 它可以完成多种任务。

And this is quite important

这使它得以

for the difficult and unique environments on the Earth

在地球以及太空的 复杂独特的环境当中

as well as in space.

发挥重要的作用。

Space is a perfect environment for robogamis.

太空任务再适合折纸机器人不过了，

You cannot afford to have one robot for one task.

给每一个任务配置一个 专属的机器人成本太高，

Who knows how many tasks you will encounter in space?

谁知道我们未来会有多少太空任务？

What you want is a single robotic platform that can transform to do multi-tasks.

所以必须得有一个多功能的 机器人来完成这些任务。

What we want is a deck of thin robogami modules

我们想要一套 薄型折纸机器人模组，

that can transform to do multiples of performing tasks.

可以通过变形 完成各种各样的任务。

And don't take my word for it,

这不是我随便说说而已，

because the European Space Agency and Swiss Space Center

欧洲航天局和瑞士航天局

are sponsoring this exact concept.

已经在资助这个想法了。

So here you see a couple of images of reconfiguration of robogamis,

图片上显示的就是 折纸机器人的各种不同组合，

exploring the foreign land aboveground, on the surface,

它们能在太空外星上探索， 能在地表工作，能飞天勘察，

as well as digging into the surface.

也能深入地表以下。

It's not just exploration.

这不仅仅是探索。

For astronauts, they need additional help,

对于宇航员来说， 他们需要额外的帮助，

because you cannot afford to bring interns up there, either.

因为你无法承受 送个实习生上太空的后果。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

They have to do every tedious task.

他们必须完成每项繁琐的工作，

They may be simple,

可能是很简单，

but super interactive.

但却有极强交互性质的工作。

So you need robots to facilitate their experiments,

得益于此，它们可以 辅助宇航员进行实验，

assisting them with the communications

帮助他们进行通信，

and just docking onto surfaces to be their third arm holding different tools.

并直接附着在机舱表面，成为 宇航员第三只拿着不同工具的臂膀。

But how will they be able to control robogamis, for example,

但他们如何才能控制机器人呢？

例如，在太空站外。

outside the space station?

In this case, I show a robogami that is holding space debris.

在这种情况下，我展示了一个 拿着空间碎片的折纸机器人，

You can work with your vision so that you can control them,

你可以通过视觉来操控机器人，

but what would be better is having the sensation of touch

但更好的是将触觉，

directly transported onto the hands of the astronauts.

直接传递到宇航员的手上。

And what you need is a haptic device,

此刻我们所需要的 是模拟触觉的装置，

a haptic interface that recreates the sensation of touch.

一个可以重现触觉感受的模拟界面，

And using robogamis, we can do this.

利用折纸机器人， 我们可以实现这一点。

This is the world's smallest haptic interface

这是全球最小的触觉模拟界面，

that can recreate a sensation of touch just underneath your fingertip.

可以在指尖下方重现触感。

We do this by moving the robogami

我们通过在模拟台上的 可视宏观动作

by microscopic and macroscopic movements at the stage.

以及肉眼不可见的微小运动 来实现这一点。

And by having this, not only will you be able to feel

通过这项技术，

你不仅能感受到物体的大小，

how big the object is,

the roundness and the lines,

圆滑度和线条，

but also the stiffness and the texture.

还能感受到物体的硬度和质感。

Alex has this interface just underneath his thumb,

这个人机接口在艾利克斯的拇指下，

and if he were to use this with VR goggles and hand controllers,

如果再搭配使用 虚拟现实（VR）眼镜和手动控制器，

now the virtual reality is no longer virtual.

虚拟现实就不再是虚拟的，

It becomes a tangible reality.

而是变成了摸得到的现实。

The blue ball, red ball and black ball that he's looking at

艾利克斯不仅能通过颜色区分

眼前的蓝、红、黑三个球， 还能通过不同材质来区分：

is no longer differentiated by colors.

Now it is a rubber blue ball, sponge red ball and billiard black ball.

橡皮做的蓝球，海绵做的红球 和台球触感的黑球。

This is now possible.

同样，这已变为可能。

Let me show you.

我为各位展示一下。

This is really the first time this is shown live

这是我们第一次 在这么多观众面前

in front of a public grand audience,

做现场演示，

so hopefully this works.

希望它别出岔子。

So what you see here is an atlas of anatomy

你们现在看到的是人体解剖图，

and the robogami haptic interface.

以及折纸机器人的模拟界面，

So, like all the other reconfigurable robots,

跟别的折纸机器人一样，

it multitasks.

它是多功能的，

Not only is it going to serve as a mouse,

既能用作鼠标，

but also a haptic interface.

又能作为触觉界面。

So for example, we have a white background where there is no object.

比如说，鼠标所在的 空白界面中没有物体，

That means there is nothing to feel,

所以说我们什么也感受不到，

so we can have a very, very flexible interface.

这个界面就会非常松。

Now, I use this as a mouse to approach skin,

现在我把它当作鼠标 放到皮肤的位置，

a muscular arm,

一个肌肉发达的手臂，

so now let's feel his biceps,

我们感受一下他的肱二头肌，

or shoulders.

或肩膀，

So now you see how much stiffer it becomes.

现在你看，它变得比较硬。

Let's explore even more.

我们再换一个地方，

Let's approach the ribcage.

比如肋骨，

And as soon as I move on top of the ribcage

当我把鼠标移到肋骨

and between the intercostal muscles,

和肋间肌，

which is softer and harder,

马上感觉到它变软了， 而后又变硬。

I can feel the difference of the stiffness.

我能感到很明显的差别。

Take my word for it.

我说的都是真的，

So now you see, it's much stiffer in terms of the force

你们看现在摸起来很硬，

it's giving back to my fingertip.

因为传到我指尖的反作用力变大了。

So I showed you the surfaces that aren't moving.

刚刚我摸的东西都是静止的，

How about if I were to approach something that moves,

要是我摸会动的东西又会怎样呢？

for example, like a beating heart?

比如说，跳动的心脏，

What would I feel?

会有什么感觉呢？

(Applause)

（掌声）

This can be your beating heart.

这可以是你跳动的心。

This can actually be inside your pocket

在网购的时候，

while you're shopping online.

你也可以把此装置放进口袋，

Now you'll be able to feel the difference of the sweater that you're buying,

这样你就能触摸到 你要买的毛衣的不同质地，

how soft it is,

感受一下它有多柔软，

if it's actually cashmere or not,

感受一下它是不是纯羊毛，

or the bagel that you're trying to buy,

还可以摸一摸你要买的百吉饼，

how hard it is or how crispy it is.

它有多硬，或有多脆，

This is now possible.

这一切都已成为可能。

The robotics technology is advancing to be more personalized and adaptive,

折纸机器人技术正变得 越加人性化，且更具适用性，

to adapt to our everyday needs.

来应对我们各类的生活需求。

This unique specie of reconfigurable robotics

这种独特的 可自我重塑的机器人技术

is actually the platform to provide this invisible, intuitive interface

是一个平台，可以通过 提供无形而直观的人机接口。

来满足我们确切的需求。

to meet our exact needs.

These robots will no longer look like the characters from the movies.

这些机器人将不再 局限于电影中的形象，

Instead, they will be whatever you want them to be.

它们将成为你想要的任何东西。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）