Charlie, the German Robot Moon Monkey.
    Daniel Khun, DFKI GmbH

    By Friedrich Geiger

    Meet iStruct Demonstrator, also known as Charlie, the space robot monkey built by the German Center for Artificial Intelligence in Bremen, and exhibited this week at the CeBIT exhibition in Hanover, Germany.

    The AI center used chimpanzees as models when developing the robot, which is 70 centimeters long, can move upright on two legs and four legs (the arms are longer than the legs like real chimps) and whose top speed is about 40 centimeters per second.

    But what makes Charlie special, and ideal for sensitive missions in extreme conditions, is the robot’s stabilization abilities.

    The AI center developed Charlie for space missions, said Project Leader Daniel Kühn. The robot is particularly well equipped for moving on uneven, shifting ground, so that it can, for example, walk into craters on the moon to search for water. Its feet are equipped with 60 sensors each so that they can feel the surface, so Charlie can adjust its steps on uneven, or even moving, surfaces. It can also pick itself up if it falls over, thanks to a “smart spine.” It also has collision and distance sensors.

    Kühn said Charlie, which cost 3 million euros ($4 million), is the only member of its species, and is not yet ready to be endangered by a space mission, with more research and development needed. It is also not for sale to the general public.

    Also at CeBIT but more down-to-earth was SAP AG, which teamed up with Oliver Bierhoff, a famous retired German soccer player, to explain the benefits of the business software maker’s data-analytics products for professional sports. Coaches can use SAP’s analytical applications to analyze players in real-time to determine if they’re getting tired and need to be substituted. Even the soccer balls are fitted with sensors and its movements can also be analyzed to give a completely different perspective on the game.

    BSC Computer GmbH presented solutions for smart homes, like door handles that send a signal turning down the radiator, a water detector turning off the main tap in case of a leak to prevent water damage, and a remote light switch that can be placed anywhere in a room without electricity cables.

    Deutsche Telekom exhibited a cyber-defense control center with multiple large screens displaying real-time data on threats, attacks, and viruses on its group’s infrastructure and the equipment of its customers.


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