"Anthropomorphic" Robot: What does it mean?

[gravitar]

I just got an auction listing for a company that was using "Anthropomorphic" welding robots. I wasn't familiar with that term so I googled it, and I guess it means "possessing human qualities".. Which doesn't really tell me anything :) Applied to the context of robotics, what does this indicate? Just catchy advertising jargon written by someone that doesn't know robotics?

[TConnolly]

Its an attempt to placate the welding and pipe fitting unions worried about job losses for humans..

[pseudoquas]

That's new....anthropomorphic should be interpreted as "man shaped" (excuse me, "Human-shaped"), so it is probably articulated like a human arm - shoulder, elbow, writst joints. my guess.

[James_S]

Anthropomorphic robots are robots with 6 (usually) revolute joints and are usually refered to as robotic arms. They're one of the most common types of robots. Yes, they are usually shaped kind of like a human arm. Edited January 13, 2010 by James_S

[Michael Lloyd]

It means that the robot requires an hour off for lunch- paid, (2) 15 minute breaks per work day- paid, 4 weeks of paid vacation per year, paid sick leave, paid medical including substance abuse and mental counseling, paid maternity leave, a pension including retirement medical, and at least one oil change per 500 hours

[TConnolly]

Joking aside... IMO, the need for an anthropomorphic robot in an industrial environment is somewhat limited - the robot is a machine and it should fit the task. I read an article just a few days ago that mentioned that anthropomorphic robots are being used in Japan in one market to help elderly people shop. An accompanying photo showed an anthropomorphic robot accompanying an elderly woman in a store while carrying her selected merchandise in its arms. It was clear that a robotic shopping cart would have been better suited to the task, but in a service sector application the customer might be more comfortable with a human like assistant -vs- a motorized computerized shopping cart with a bug like pick arm attached, even though the robotic shopping cart is better suited for the task than a robot trying to carry a load of groceries in its human like arms. In an industrial setting however the focus should be on making the machine fit the job. Edited January 5, 2011 by Alaric