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In this paper, we will describe our attempt for a tele-operated humanoid robot to drive a backhoe. It will be possible for a humanoid robot to drive an industrial vehicle instead of a human operator. If a humanoid robot can be operated by a human operator from a remote site, it enables t o USI a general type of vehicle safely in a dangerous field. We introduced a backhoe as the target vehicle to show the possibility of driving a vehicle in a sitting posture. The robot sits down with balancing on a cockpit of the backhoe and manipulates control levers for driving. We developed a portable remote control device and remote control methods to operate the humanoid robot. For the evaluation, it is tested to sit down and manipulate the levers on the driving cockpit of the real backhoe. To compare it with a human's work, the eficiency is close to practical use.

Users of bridges and tunnels are generally concerned about the aging of these structures. Periodic inspections are necessary to keep old bridges and tunnels healthy. Inspection engineers must approach the inspection points as close as possible by mobile elevating of the work platform for close visual inspection of lining concrete. The inspection of a road tunnel particularly requires traffic regulation. Furthermore, it takes much time to perform visual inspection and hammering test for the vast area. Moreover, the inspection results have variations by inspectors. We propose an “Inspection Vehicle” for inspection of tunnel lining concrete by a new technology for infrastructure maintenance. This study reports the finding on element technology of an inspection vehicle and applies a tunnel inspection test.

This is the first successful trial of remotely controlling a humanoid robot to drive an industrial vehicle in lieu of a human operator. These results were achieved through the development of three technologies: 1) remote-control technology to instruct the humanoid to perform total-body movements under remote control 2) a remotecontrol system to execute tasks, and protection technology to protect the humanoid against the shock and vibrations of its operating seat and against influences of the natural environment, such as rain and dust, and 3) full-body operation-control technology to autonomously control the humanoid's total-body movements to prevent the robot from falling over. The humanoid has promising application potential for restoration work in environments impacted by catastrophes and in civil-engineering and construction-project sites where it can work safely and efficiently.