Design of a low-cost, open-source, humanoid robot companion for large retail spaces

With continuing developments in automation, robots will begin to supplement tasks that ordinary humans find dull, dirty or dangerous. In situations where robots and humans are interacting or working together, humanoid robots can better navigate human environments and make humans more comfortable with their appearance. Until recently, most humanoid robots were custom-made and designed for one specific environment. The development of open-source, low-cost humanoid robotics platforms, such as Trossen's HR-OS1, provide skeleton platforms that can be developed for mass use in environments with extensive human-robot interaction, such as retail settings. With this future in mind, the base HR-OS1 platform was modified with additional hardware and a new software framework to give it the navigation and communication skills required to be a personal attendant. This design can serve as a model for a humanoid robot in other settings where human-robot interaction is advantageous.