Discover Reachy: The Open-Source Robot with Expressive Capabilities

As the world embraces advancements in AI and robotics, companies and research institutions are at the forefront, developing their proprietary platforms. However, France's Pollen Robotics is taking a different approach by launching the open-source robot, Reachy, to ignite a robotics revolution.

We explored Reachy at the CES 2020 Unveiled event, where I had a chance to challenge—and win against—the robot at tic-tac-toe. While fun, Reachy offers far more than just games. Developers can leverage Python to create a wide range of applications, from food service and customer assistance to research and development. Thanks to its modular design and built-in AI, Reachy enables developers to dive into their projects without needing to train a machine learning component first.

Reachy's arms are inspired by human biology, providing seven degrees of freedom for movement. They can be fitted with various manipulators, including versatile clamps and five-fingered humanoid hands. The robot features a specialized neck joint that enables its head to swivel, pan, and tilt in a surprisingly lifelike manner, moving away from the typical emotive displays seen in other robots.

Despite its open-source capabilities, Reachy’s pricing may be a barrier for many hobbyists. The basic single-arm model costs $9,000, while the advanced version, complete with double arms and a head, is priced around $17,000. Pollen Robotics plans to ship the first batch of 15 Reachy robots soon, aiming to inspire innovation in robotics applications.

Most people like

Find AI tools in YBX