Hugging Face company has announced the release of the first humanoid robot developed using its open source robotics program, known as Reachy2. This robot was designed by Pollen Robotics, a company specializing in open source robot development based in Bordeaux, France.
Pollen Robotics collaborated with Hugging Face to train the robot to perform various household tasks and interact safely with humans and pets. Initially, the Reachy2 robot was operated remotely by a person wearing virtual reality glasses, who could control the robot and carry out tasks such as placing cups on the dish rack and smoothly and safely delivering fruits.
Later on, the machine learning algorithm was able to process 50 short videos of remote operation sessions, each lasting approximately 15 seconds per video. The algorithm learned how to independently execute a set of tasks and guide the Reachy2 robot in performing these tasks. Each video was linked to a different sensor inside the robot, and after about 60,000 training experiments, Reachy2 learned how to rotate, move its hand, pick up an apple, and return it to its place.
The company stated that they have provided the dataset through Hugging Face, in addition to the model that was trained and used in the demonstration. Anyone can use this dataset and apply it to small domestic robots.
With the continuous advancement and increased funding for smart robots, a new trend is emerging to make advanced artificial intelligence technologies accessible to everyone by open-sourcing them. Robotics development companies are raising substantial amounts of money by utilizing innovative concepts such as large language models to enhance the interaction of robots with humans and the environment.
It is expected that Hugging Face will be a key player in challenging competitors in the robotics field by providing technology for free. Pollen Robotics has extensive experience in developing open source technologies that are accessible for various real-world purposes. The company began its journey in 2013 with the launch of Poppy, which was the first open source humanoid robot made using 3D printing technology for research purposes. Since then, Pollen Robotics has focused on developing open source products and collaborating with scientists and innovators to explore new applications and provide robots for everyone.
