Towards a New Generation of Multisensory Light-weight Robots with Learning Capabilities

Abstract Key items in the development of a new smart robot generation are explained by hand of DLR's recent activities in robotics research. These items are the design of multisensory gripper systems, ultra-light-weight links and joint drive systems with integrated joint torque control, learning and self-improvement of the dynamical behaviour, modelling the environment using sensorfusion, and new sensor-based off-line programming techniques based on teaching by showing in a (stereo)graphics environment. For each of these issues either simulated or real design results are given.