News

5/31/2007
Face of the Future Visits Kentucky

Life-like Robot Performs Musical Concert at Toyota’s Georgetown Plant

GEORGETOWN, KENTUCKY, (May 31, 2007) — Visitors at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) will soon get a glimpse at how robots will make life easier in the future.  From everyday household activities to caring for the ill, robots will one day play a huge part in how we live and work. That’s why Toyota is taking the same technology used to build the #1 selling Camry and investing it into real life assistance projects such as the Partner Robot program. The end result is a human-like robot that is capable of performing labor intensive, yet intricate tasks.

Toyota’s Partner Robot was created to mimic a human’s mannerisms. To demonstrate its agility and manners, programmers designed the robot to perform one of the most graceful of human skills—playing a musical instrument. Using its dexterous fingers and artificial lips, the Partner Robot is able to walk and play the trumpet.

The Partner Robot program is an example of how Toyota continues to carry out its activities based on the spirit of "contributing to society through making things and making automobiles." Toyota believes that the Partner Robot will improve the quality of life for mankind in the future. While still in the developmental stages, the robot is designed to assistant humans with a variety of activities including general assistance, mobility, elderly care and some standardized tasks of automobile manufacturing. 

The Partner Robot will be performing his trumpet recital 15 minutes before the scheduled tours at 10:00 a.m., noon and 2:00 p.m. Monday-Friday at the Toyota Visitor Center through June 22. Visitor Center hours are Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with extended hours on Thursdays. A special 5:45 p.m. performance will be held on Thursdays only to accommodate the extended center hours. Reservations are not needed to see the robot perform, however advance registration is required for the guided plant tour. To schedule a tour of the Georgetown facility or get directions please call (800) 866-4485.

TMMK is Toyota’s largest manufacturing plant in North America. TMMK employs about 7,000 team members and has the capacity to produce 500,000 vehicles and engines annually.

Background:

In the 1970s and 1980s, Toyota began working with robot manufacturers to develop industrial robots for use in welding and painting processes in our manufacturing facilities.

Earlier this decade, Toyota started developing advanced robots by combining industrial robot technologies with the latest control technologies used in automobiles.

Thus, the concept of Toyota’s Partner Robot was created.

The Partner Robot is designed to assist humans with a variety of activities including the automobile manufacturing, mobility, general assistance and elderly care.

Toyota’s Partner Robot made its U.S. debut in October 2006 at the Camry Hybrid line-off ceremony at Toyota’s Georgetown, Kentucky plant.

Partner Robot Facts:

• Height: 4 feet, 9 inches
• Weight: Approximately 88 pounds with musical instrument
• Capable of playing a musical instrument, the Partner Robot has artificial lips which replicates the vibration of humans and has the dexterity of human fingers

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Contact:
Rick Hesterberg
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc.
502-868-2135