Reachy: an unusual open-source robot you can control through VR

Apparently, everyone is into artificial intelligence and robotics, at least companies and research institutes that can afford to build their own platforms from scratch. The French company Pollen Robotics, for example, aims to spark a robotics revolution with its open-source system Reachy. 

At the Unveiled event at CES 2020, the robot played tic-tac-toe with anyone who wanted to, and did not always win. However, the open-source device is capable of much more. Developers can use Python to create many applications for the system, while the robot's modular nature allows it to be used for various purposes: food service, customer service, demonstrations or good old research and development. 

The system comes with built-in artificial intelligence, which should help developers get straight to the heart of their research without preparing a machine learning component first. 

Reachy's arms have seven degrees of freedom and can be fitted with various grippers, from pincer grips to humanoid hands with five fingers. The company abandoned an emotional WALL-E-style display in favor of a dedicated neck joint that lets the robot's head turn and tilt, just like a human. 

However, although Reachy is open source, its price puts it out of reach for most hobbyists. The basic version of the robot with one arm costs $9,000, while the most advanced version with two arms and a head will cost around $17,000. 

The company is not standing still and keeps working to improve the robot. In 2021 it returned and became more capable than ever. Instead of programming Reachy's movements, users can now control it directly with a VR headset. 

Once connected to the robot, the user can see what the robot sees through its cameras and control Reachy's arms with VR controllers. This method can also be used to quickly teach the robot delicate tasks that require precise motion control, instead of programming those movements by hand. 

The company also upgraded the robot's cameras and processor. The software is built on ROS 2, the popular open-source robotics operating system. Reachy is not going to take any production jobs anytime soon. 

The company's website says: «For new technologies to have a positive impact, transparency and collaboration are essential. Back in 2013 we started with Poppy, the first 3D-printed open-source humanoid robot, and since then we have dedicated ourselves to creating open-source products, open science and open data. We work with scientists, artists and innovators to explore ways to use robots and make the robot revolution accessible to everyone». 

Despite its wild appearance, Reachy offers many advantages:

1. open-source software;
2. interactivity;
3. open-source hardware;
4. artificial intelligence;
5. evolutionary and modular;
6. Python API;
7. fully programmable;
8. ROS compatible;
9. customizable.

The robot uses ready-made artificial intelligence, image and voice recognition, and modular robotics to interact with the surrounding world. Users do not have to train a machine learning component. They can jump straight to any desired application and start building a prototype. 

Reachy is very versatile. Whether you are a researcher, an academic, a creative professional or an innovation professional, the robot will be the best choice for learning, exploring and developing artificial intelligence and robotics. Use cases:

1. For research: the robot is designed to be the ideal tool for collaborative work on scientific problems in AI and robotics. Standard AI tools let researchers easily run experiments. 
2. For healthcare: the robot is precise, tireless and always in a good mood, which makes it an ideal social assistant for those in need. Reachy is useful in reception areas, hospitals, medical facilities and nursing homes. It can be used to measure temperature and check mask wearing during the coronavirus pandemic, to help disabled people manipulate objects with a robotic arm, and to provide remote expert assistance via teleoperation in virtual reality. 
3. For retail: the robot will make the customer experience memorable and inspire customers to talk about you. Reachy is great at being a barista, a registrar handing out forms, keys, flyers and brochures, a welcome officer giving instructions and useful tips, and a charming companion playing tic-tac-toe, rock-paper-scissors or another game. 
4. For education: any university will stand out with Reachy. The robot brings together all modern engineering skills in one easy-to-use learning platform: programming, mechanics, electronics, 3D printing, machine learning and virtual reality. 
5. For events: the robot makes an event the most progressive and innovative just by being present. It can also measure temperature, hand out masks, greet guests and distribute flyers, and invite people to beat it at simple games.