IIT: Flying Robots & The Future of Human-Machine Collaboration

Daniele Pucci introduces us to the lab, describing it as having the highest density of humanoid robots in Europe. The room contains several evolutions of the iCub, including the first version, which resembles a three-year-old child. The iCub has incredibly dexterous hands and advanced eyes that function similarly to the human retina, making them highly sensitive to movement and variation.

The ergoCub is capable of recognizing people, moving objects around, carrying payloads of up to seven or eight kilograms, pushing buttons, and taking objects. Demonstrating the robot’s capabilities, Daniele asks it, "ErgoCub, what do you see?" The robot replies, "I see people, a microphone, and a robot on a desk." Daniele then asks, "What color is my shirt?" and the robot responds, "It appears you are wearing a blue shirt." Finally, when prompted to move forward, ergoCub states, "I am moving forward."

Daniele recounts his idea to make robots fly after working on drones in France. The iRonCub is a 1.2-metre humanoid robot equipped with four jet engines – two on the arms and two on the backpack. These engines expel gas at 800°C at supersonic speeds. The biggest challenges in designing iRonCub were temperature control, to prevent melting, and dynamic pressure resistance, to withstand the force of propulsion.

While the robot’s design reminds many of Iron Man, its purpose is deeply practical. iRonCub is designed for disaster response, where it can fly over floods and fires, land in partially destroyed buildings, and navigate hazardous environments using its legs and hands.

Research on iRonCub extends beyond robotics, involving thermodynamics, aerodynamics, and artificial intelligence. The team collaborates with institutions such as Stanford and Politecnico di Milano to develop predictive models for aerodynamics and thermodynamics.

Daniele emphasizes how robots influence human behavior. Studies suggest that children who interact with AI assistants like Alexa develop different communication habits, sometimes omitting “please” and “thank you.” This hints at the broader social impact humanoid robots may have in daily life.

IIT is studying multiple aspects of human-robot interaction, including social impact, examining how people react to robots in society; design acceptance, ensuring robots are aesthetically and functionally acceptable; and physical collaboration, making sure humans and robots can work together safely and effectively.

Giovanni Fragonese, a PhD student at IIT, works on integrating AI and large language models such as ChatGPT and Gemini into robotics. His goal is to make robots more interactive and responsive to human speech and movement.

He demonstrates a simple interaction by saying, "Hey, ergoCub, can you wave?" to which the robot responds, "Of course. Waving now."

One of the key challenges is data collection. Training robots requires extensive real-world data, but the number of available robots is currently limited. Another major challenge is integrating AI-driven motion into real-time robotics operations.

Daniele outlines two major societal challenges that IIT aims to address with humanoid robots. The first is a shrinking workforce, with Italy’s population expected to decline significantly by 2100, leading to a shortage of workers for physically demanding tasks. The second challenge is workplace injuries, with 70% of work-related injuries in Italy attributed to back pain, particularly in manual labour jobs. Robots like ergoCub can help reduce strain on human workers.

In the next five to ten years, Daniele envisions humanoid robots becoming as common as drones, available for purchase and deployment across various industries.

Brian Thompson, an expert from PTC, discusses how IIT uses PTC Creo for 3D CAD design. Creo’s Mechanism Dynamics Option allows engineers to model robotic movement and forces, simulate real-world interactions, and optimize designs for performance and durability.

The advantage of Creo’s built-in simulation is that engineers do not need to switch between software, streamlining the design and testing process for humanoid robots.

Thanks to Daniele, Giovanni, and Brian for sharing their insights into the future of robotics. IIT’s humanoid robots, powered by PTC technology, are shaping a world where humans and robots collaborate seamlessly.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to our biweekly Third Angle episodes and follow PTC on LinkedIn and X for future updates. Companies that make products the world relies on, rely on PTC.

This is an 1860 production for PTC. Executive Producer: Jackie Cook. Location recording: Carola Haupt. Sound design and editing: Clarissa Maycock. Music by Rowan Bishop.