IIT · Humanoid · 2018
An open-source, child-size humanoid testbed for embodied-cognition and AI research, designed by the EU-funded RobotCub Consortium (2004–2009) and built by the Italian Institute of Technology in Genoa. About 104 cm and 22 kg, iCub has 53 actuated degrees of freedom — 7 per arm, 9 per hand (across 19 underactuated joints), 6 per leg, plus torso, neck and eyes — and a rich sensor suite: stereo camera eyes, microphones, IMU, joint force/torque sensors and a capacitive tactile skin of ~2,000 sensing points. It runs Debian Linux with the YARP middleware and is fully open-source under GPL. Roughly 30 iCubs are in labs worldwide; a jet-powered flying variant (iRonCub) has even been explored.
Price level: ★★★★★
View full interactive profile, comparisons & videos →| Category | Humanoid |
| Sub-type | Open-Source Cognitive Research Humanoid (child-size) |
| Status | Active |
| Year | 2018 |
| Origin | Italy |
| Weight | 33 kg |
| Frame | Ergal aluminium alloy, steel and plastic |
| Degrees of freedom | 53 |
| Battery | 335 Wh |
| Battery life | 45 min |
| Camera | Stereo cameras (swivel-mounted 'eyes') |
| Chipset | Onboard Intel Core 2 Duo + PC104 (CAN-bus to motor/sensor boards); off-board 30–40-core cluster |
| AI model | Embodied-cognition research; object recognition, voice-command recognition, grasping, tactile sensing; open-source GPL/FDL |
| Operating system | YARP middleware (open-source) |
| Actuator type | Brushless electric motors + Harmonic Drive 1/100; torso + shoulder tendon-driven/coupled; legs with Series Elastic Actuators (removable springs, from CoMAN) |
| Use cases | Embodied-cognition research, Manipulation & grasping, Developmental robotics, HRI research |
| Made in | Italy |
