Project Nao, also called the Nao Project, is an ongoing venture dedicated to the development and mass production of an intelligent humanoid robot for the consumer market. The project is a joint effort between Aldebaran Robotics of Paris, France and designers Thomas Knoll and Erik Arlen. Nao, which looks like a large doll wearing a space suit, is intended primarily for entertainment. It is expected to become popular among teenagers and young adults.
The physical machine is built in an android form with two legs, two arms and a head. It measures 58 centimeters (approximately 2 feet) in height. The onboard microcomputer , also known as a robot controller, is based on the Linux operating platform and uses a programming language called Urbi. A GUI (graphical user interface) is available for use by beginners.
Project Nao was launched in 2005 and has undergone several revisions since then. The robot, scheduled for public release in 2008, includes features such as:
24 Mar 2011