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Boston Dynamics and Toyota Research Institute demonstrate humanoid robot powered by ‘large behaviour model’

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Boston Dynamics and Toyota Research Institute (TRI) have released details of what they describe as “a big step forward in robotics and artificial intelligence research”: demonstrating a Large Behavior Model (LBM) powering the Atlas humanoid robot. 

In a video jointly released by the two organizations (see below), Atlas performs a long, continuous sequence of complex tasks that require combining object manipulation with locomotion.

By adopting LBMs, new capabilities that previously would have been laboriously hand-programmed can now be added quickly and without writing a single new line of code. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics and Toyota Research Institute demonstrate humanoid robot powered by ‘large behaviour model’

Toyota Research Institute unveils breakthrough in Large Behavior Models that requires ‘80 percent less data’

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Toyota Research Institute (TRI) has unveiled promising results from a large-scale study on a new class of AI systems called Large Behavior Models (LBMs), which could significantly accelerate the development of general-purpose robots capable of adapting to real-world tasks.

The research, published today, shows that a single LBM can learn hundreds of manipulation tasks and apply that knowledge to new challenges with up to 80 percent less data compared to traditional approaches.

This marks a potential shift in how robots are trained, enabling them to generalize from diverse experiences rather than being hardcoded for specific tasks. [Read more…] about Toyota Research Institute unveils breakthrough in Large Behavior Models that requires ‘80 percent less data’

Toyota offering up to $2 million to each and every selected robotics startup

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Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Toyota AI Ventures unveiled a global “call for innovation” today in partnership with the Toyota Research Institute.

Designed to spur entrepreneurial innovation by identifying key technology gaps, the initiative uses a call-and-response approach to offer promising startups the opportunity to secure from $500,000 to $2 million in venture capital funding from Toyota AI Ventures, as well as the possibility of partnering on a proof of concept project with TRI.

The first call, developed in conjunction with TRI’s world-class robotics group, focuses on improving mobile manipulation technology for assistive robots that can help people in and around the home.  [Read more…] about Toyota offering up to $2 million to each and every selected robotics startup

Toyota to invest $3 billion in driverless car company

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Toyota is establishing a new company to develop autonomous driving technologies and says it will invest almost $3 billion into it. 

The new company will be based in Tokyo and will start operating later this month. It will be named “Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development” (TRI-AD), and will accelerate the company’s efforts in “advanced development for automated driving”.

To enable the new efforts at TRI-AD, Toyota Motor Corporation, Aisin Seiki, and Denso have reached a provisional agreement on the joint development of fully-integrated, production-quality software for automated driving.  [Read more…] about Toyota to invest $3 billion in driverless car company

Toyota Research Institute backs Open Source Robotics Foundation with further $1m

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Toyota Research Institute (TRI) continues its commitment to open source robotics software by renewing its charitable contribution to the Open Source Robotics Foundation (OSRF).

For the second consecutive year, TRI is donating $1 million to OSRF which offers the global robotics community access to open source robotics software and development tools.

“Our support of the open source research community has been a huge asset in our robotics work as well as our automated vehicle development,” said James Kuffner, Chief Technology Officer at TRI.

[Read more…] about Toyota Research Institute backs Open Source Robotics Foundation with further $1m

Toyota Research Institute partners with GoMentum to test autonomous vehicles in California

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Toyota Research Institute has signed an agreement with GoMentum Station to test autonomous vehicle technology at the 5,000 acre autonomous vehicle proving grounds located in Concord, California.

Managed by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, this partnership enables TRI to expand closed course testing of its two-prong approach to vehicle automation – Guardian and Chauffeur.

Established in 2015, TRI has made rapid advancements in its research into automated driving and recently demonstrated Platform 2.1, its new advanced safety research vehicle that allows for testing of both Guardian and Chauffeur in a single vehicle.  [Read more…] about Toyota Research Institute partners with GoMentum to test autonomous vehicles in California

Toyota Research Institute demonstrates new Guardian and Chauffeur autonomous driving systems

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Toyota Research Institute has released a video showing the first demonstration of its Guardian and Chauffeur autonomous vehicle platform.

“Today, you’re going to see four different demonstrations,” says Dr Gill Pratt, CEO of TRI, at the opening of the video. “The first two are going to be in Chauffeur mode. The other two demonstrations are going to be in Guardian mode.”

The video shows the advances TRI has made with Platform 2.1, the next iteration of TRI’s innovative advanced safety research vehicle for autonomous driving, conducting several test maneuvers on a closed course.  [Read more…] about Toyota Research Institute demonstrates new Guardian and Chauffeur autonomous driving systems

Toyota shows off its progress in robotics, autonomous cars and artificial intelligence

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Toyota Research Institute has been demonstrating its progress in the development of automated driving technology and other project work to the investor community this week.

Dr Gill Pratt, CEO of TRI, says: “In the last few months, we have rapidly accelerated our pace in advancing Toyota’s automated driving capabilities with a vision of saving lives, expanding access to mobility, and making driving more fun and convenient.

“Our research teams have also been evolving machine intelligence that can support further development of robots for in-home support of people.” [Read more…] about Toyota shows off its progress in robotics, autonomous cars and artificial intelligence

Toyota showcases its new advanced autonomous car platform to Boston robotics community

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Boston has become one of the main centres for robotics technologies in recent years, with many well-known companies emerging from the area. 

Perhaps with this in mind, the Toyota Research Institute decided to showcase its latest developments in autonomous vehicle technology, something it’s calling “Platform 2.0” – basically, its new driverless car – to attendees at the Robotics: Science and Systems conference at MIT.

“This is the first time that we are showing the car off to the Boston-area robotics community,” said a spokesman for TRI. “This new advanced safety research vehicle is the first autonomous testing platform developed entirely by TRI, and reflects the rapid progress of our autonomous driving program.”  [Read more…] about Toyota showcases its new advanced autonomous car platform to Boston robotics community

Open Source Robotics Foundation teams up with Toyota Research Institute for software research

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toyota-car-tech

Tools for robotics and autonomous vehicles central to the two organisations

The Open Source Robotics Foundation and the Toyota Research Institute are to work together on developing new robotics and automation technologies. 

In addition, TRI has made a charitable contribution of $1 million to OSRF to support the organization’s goals to develop and promote the growth of the open source robotics community and to support the development of the Robot Operating System (ROS) and Gazebo.

 

Gill Pratt, TRI CEO, says: “I’ve witnessed first-hand the value of the Open Source Robotics Foundation. Of the 23 teams that competed in the Darpa Robotics Challenge 18 used ROS and 14 used Gazebo.

“Through this charitable contribution, TRI will support efforts to grow the capabilities of ROS and Gazebo, not only for TRI, but also for the hundreds of thousands of members of the open source robotics community.”  [Read more…] about Open Source Robotics Foundation teams up with Toyota Research Institute for software research