Medical Design Briefs - July 2023 - 15

ears) in a creature that looks like a manga
character, Enchanted Tools resets how
we relate to the other, by drawing on familiar
elements. A new form of life, Miroki,
is unnerving but not frightening, with
several reassuring characteristics: his
small size (123 cm), his posture, the way
his ears move. Enchanted Tools has put a
lot of work into his lifelike appearance,
so that Miroki will be able to return a
smile or turn his head in perfect mimicry
of the person he is speaking to. In this
regard, his ears are a valuable aid in improving
the user experience. " If Miroki is
moving along a corridor with his ears
lowered, it means he is focused on his
task. If you call him and he raises one or
two ears, it means he is listening, and you
can give him an order. All these things
give him that extra lifelike aspect that
machines usually lack, " says Monceaux.
Interaction, Navigation, and Gripping: A
Robot Designed to be Useful
Pepper and Nao, Monceaux's first two
creations, have the distinction of being
the first humanoid robots to achieve popularity
in the world. Nevertheless, these
two robots failed to become part of everyday
human life, because they were not
" useful " enough. For Miroki, the challenge
was therefore not only to create a
robot that people would accept, but also
one they would find useful. This meant
meeting three challenges of robotics.
* Automated navigation in semi-standardized
spaces. Perched on a rolling ball,
Miroki moves - and can be moved -
in any direction. If he gets in the way,
just a gentle push with a finger will make
him roll away, whereas a two-legged or
track-mounted robot would need to be
lifted. Miroki is easy to use and to handle,
which is an essential feature for mobility
in social and work environments.
* Automated gripping of objects. Miroki's
hands are uniquely designed to grip
special handles - or " runes, " to continue
the fantasy narrative - that users
can attach to objects they want the robot
to lift. The radical simplicity of this
all-purpose handle allows Miroki to
achieve a 97 percent grip success rate,
whereas the market standard is about 60
Medical Design Briefs, July 2023
Developed by roboticist Masahiro Mori, the uncanny valley concept refers to the sense of unease that we feel
when confronted with a humanoid creation that looks too much like a human. (Credit: Enchanted Tools)
percent. This is essential, because a tool
that fails half the time can never be satisfactory.
That is why Enchanted Tools
chose to adapt the environment to the
robot, making it intelligent.
* Semantic and emotional interactions
with untrained users. Miroki is capable
of the level of interaction required to
functionally understand and execute
voice commands.
" Miroki was designed with the aim of
simplification: He is not the best at gripping,
navigation, or interaction, but he
is good enough in all three areas to accomplish
his task, which is to move objects
within a social environment, " explains
Monceaux.
From Hospitals to Hotels: For Use in a Variety
of Environments
Hospitals, retirement homes, airports,
trade shows, hotels, restaurants - with the
ability to carry loads up to 3 kg, Miroki can
be of use in all kinds of hospitality, transit,
Miroki is the prototype of a new generation of humanoid robots that are both wondrous and useful. (Credit:
Enchanted Tools)
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Medical Design Briefs - July 2023

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