Toyota T-HR3

Toyota's T-HR3, unveiled in 2017, represents the automotive giant's approach to humanoid robotics through the lens of teleoperation and human-machine collaboration. Rather than pursuing autonomous operation, T-HR3 focuses on enabling remote human control with unprecedented fidelity.

Standing 1.5 meters tall and weighing 75 kg, T-HR3 features 32 degrees of torque-controlled freedom plus a pair of 10-fingered hands. The robot's core innovation is the Torque Servo Module, developed in collaboration with Tamagawa Seiki and NIDEC COPAL ELECTRONICS. This module combines supersensitive torque sensors, motors, and reduction gears to enable precise force control throughout the robot's body.

The Master Maneuvering System allows operators to control T-HR3 instinctively through wearable controls mapping hand, arm, and foot movements to the robot. A head-mounted display provides the operator's perspective from the robot's viewpoint. Self-interference Prevention Technology ensures the robot and operator don't disrupt each other's movements during teleoperation.

T-HR3's Torque Servo Modules enable three key capabilities: Flexible Joint Control for managing contact forces with people and objects; Whole-body Coordination and Balance Control for maintaining stability during collisions; and Real Remote Maneuvering for intuitive operator control. The 2019 update enhanced T-HR3 with more natural walking and improved fine manipulation, including the ability to pick up coins. Toyota envisions applications in homes, medical facilities, construction sites, disaster areas, and space exploration.