iCub3 Avatar System

We present an avatar system that enables a human operator to visit a remote location via iCub3, a new humanoid robot developed at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) paving the way for the next generation of the iCub platforms. On the one hand, we present the humanoid iCub3 that plays the role of the robotic avatar. Particular attention is paid to the differences between iCub3 and the classical iCub humanoid robot. On the other hand, we present the set of technologies of the avatar system at the operator side. They are mainly composed of iFeel, namely, IIT lightweight non-invasive wearable devices for motion tracking and haptic feedback, and of non-IIT technologies designed for virtual reality ecosystems. Finally, we show the effectiveness of the avatar system by describing a demonstration involving a realtime teleoperation of the iCub3. The robot is located in Venice, Biennale di Venezia, while the human operator is at more than 290km distance and located in Genoa, IIT. Using a standard fiber optic internet connection, the avatar system transports the operator locomotion, manipulation, voice, and face expressions to the iCub3 with visual, auditory, haptic and touch feedback.