Samsung files patents for robot that mimics human walking and breathing, ratchets up the creepy facto

New Era begins:  http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/22/samsung-files-patents-for-robot-that-mimics-human-walking/ 

United States Patent Application: 20120158175, A1, June 21, 2012 
LEE; Min Hyung ;   et al.

Claims  1. A control method of a walking robot ...


Abstract

A walking robot and a control method thereof. The control method includes storing angle change data according to time corresponding to at least one joint unit of the robot using human walking data, extracting reference knot points from the angle change data according to time, and generating a reference walking trajectory using the extracted reference knot points, calculating a walking change factor to perform change between walking patterns of the robot, generating a target walking trajectory through an arithmetic operation between the reference walking trajectory and the calculated walking change factor, calculating a control torque to track the generated target walking trajectory, and transmitting the calculated control torque to the at least one joint unit so as to control walking of the robot, thereby achieving various walking patterns through a comparatively simple arithmetic operation process.

By Jon Fingas  posted Jun 22nd 2012 2:14AM

As much as Samsung is big on robots, it hasn't gone all-out on the idea until a just-published quartet of patent applications. The filings have a robot more directly mimicking a human walk and adjusting the scale to get the appropriate speed without the unnatural, perpetually bent gait of certain peers. To safely get from point A to point B, any path is chopped up into a series of walking motions, and the robot constantly checks against its center of gravity to stay upright as it walks uphill or down. All very clever, but we'd say Samsung is almost too fond of the uncanny valley: one patent has rotating joints coordinate to simulate the chest heaves of human breathing. We don't know if the company will ever put the patents to use; these could be just feverish dreams of one-upping Honda's ASIMO at its own game. But if it does, we could be looking at Samsung-made androids designed like humans rather than for them.