NEC Corporation has announced the development of a groundbreaking physical AI technology designed to proactively control robots, aiming to reduce human stress in collaborative work environments. This innovation leverages NEC's proprietary 'world model' to predict human movement and psychological states, allowing robots to navigate in ways that minimize stress.
The technology's core feature is its ability to anticipate human movement based on the relative position and posture between a robot and a person. By predicting stress levels in real-time, robots can adjust their paths and speeds to enhance both psychological comfort and physical safety, reducing the risk of collisions and unexpected contact.
This development is particularly significant for industries facing labor shortages and hazardous tasks, as it promotes robot deployment in environments without dedicated robot zones. Such environments include small-to-medium-sized logistics warehouses, factories, and retail stores, where space constraints traditionally pose challenges to robot integration.
NEC's technology integrates two prediction models to forecast human stress levels when robots execute specific driving controls. This allows for optimal navigation that maintains mobility efficiency while minimizing unnecessary deceleration or stops, thereby improving productivity and addressing labor shortages.
The first component of the technology involves predicting human movement, which changes based on robot behavior and physical surroundings. By analyzing camera footage and control data, NEC's model can accurately predict the future 3D position and posture of individuals in real-time, taking into account the robot's actions and environmental factors.
The second component focuses on the real-time, quantitative estimation of human stress levels related to a robot's position. This predictive model, developed through experimental results and robot movement data, allows for tailored stress level estimation as robots approach individuals, adapting to specific situations.
NEC plans to continue enhancing environments where humans and robots can collaborate safely, leveraging Physical AI to foster seamless integration in various industries.
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