Humanoid Robots new Developments

Abstract

For many years, the human being has been trying, in all ways, to recreate the complex mechanisms that form the human body. Such a task is extremely complicated and the results are not totally satisfactory. However, with increasing technological advances based on theoretical and experimental research, man gets, in a way, to copy or imitate some systems of the human body. These researches not only intended to create humanoid robots, a great part of them constituting autonomous systems but also, in some way, to offer a higher knowledge of the systems that form the human body, objectifying possible applications in the technology of rehabilitation of human beings, gathering in a whole studies related not only to Robotics but also to Biomechanics, Biomimmetics, Cybernetics, among other areas. This book presents a series of researches inspired by this ideal, carried through by various researchers worldwide, looking to analyze and discuss diverse subjects related to humanoid robots. The presented contributions explore aspects of robotic hands, learning, language, vision, and locomotion. From the great number of interesting information presented here, I believe that this book can offer some aid in new research, as well as stimulate the interest of people in this area of study related to humanoid robots.