UR3 Cobot Brings Myro, the Fun-Loving Robot, to Life

The French interactive design agency Nokinomo has given birth to Myro, the fun-loving robot. A successful candidate of the Innov'Up Proto call for projects launched by the Ile de France County Council, Myro made a splash at its first major appearance in June 2017 at La Villette's Grande Halle in Paris.

A UNIQUE ANATOMY OF A NEW GENRE

The founders of Nokinomo, Emmanuelle Jourdes, and Patrick Simonnet worked in collaboration with Erik Pourtau of Sysaxes, a Universal Robots distributor in France. They started from the observation that it is increasingly difficult to attract public attention in an ultra-connected world, and imagined an intelligent device that is irresistibly attractive, putting its audience in a good mood and allowing for rich and varied interactions. Thus Myro was born, created with a UR3 robot arm placed behind a transparent digital touchscreen and supported by a smart camera, sound system, and artificial intelligence programming.

In its transparent cabin, the UR cobot detects the presence of human visitors, recognizes them using anonymous recognition technology, and talks, sings, dances, moves around, sulks, and more. The transparent screen that separates Myro from the user is an interface for expression and discussion. On it, Myro draws, paints, writes and projects videos. But there is more to it than that. Visitors can also use the touchscreen to play, draw, and communicate with the robot.

CREATING RELATIONSHIPS AND EMOTIONS

Myro is hard to ignore as it attracts attention in several ways. Using its camera, it can recognize visitors and use its charm to invite interaction. Want to play tic-tac-toe, need a guide or information, wish to relax, or are you just curious? Myro has a wide range of fun activities and services, whether they are interactive or just to make people think.

Sometimes Myro shows off its artistic side by painting watercolor spirals. At other times, it can grab a nearby object in its “mouth” to show it off to the audience, while information is displayed in augmented reality on the transparent screen. Myro expresses how it feels, including joy and sadness, and sometimes sulks when it loses or folds in on itself and pretends to sleep. Myro's emotions enrich the interactions it has with humans. People are moved by Myro's sulking, talk to him, are entertained by its behavior, and share their experiences with other people.

MYRO, THE FUN-LOVING ROBOT, FULFILS THE NEED FOR INTERACTION

Myro is intended for places open to the public that are confronted with issues such as long waiting times or the need to offer information, guidance, or entertainment. Myro’s applications are custom made to meet specific needs.

There are many places where Myro can fit in, such as train stations and airports that want to make travellers' waits more pleasant. Shopping centers can use Myro to highlight brands and products, offer fun activities, and generate foot traffic and loyalty. And museums can highlight their collection, manage queues, and share information.