Toyota's Soccer Robot is powered by a 28,000-member engineering team.
Toyota's Toyota Engineering Society (TES), a group of volunteers within the company, has ventured into an unusual project - developing a hydrogen-powered autonomous soccer robot named PIXI. This move marks Toyota's commitment to pushing technological boundaries and applying engineering expertise beyond traditional automotive boundaries.
The TES, started in 1947, brings together ambitious members to improve technical skills and uncover new technologies. Although it is not a department within the company, it boasts 28,000 Toyota employees as members. Full-time members are allocated development funds and research facilities by the company, and their job is to run projects aimed at improving technology, skills, and knowledge.
The project team for the soccer robot had no prior experience in robot development. To tackle this challenge, they learned about hardware design from members who worked in that field. The developers also gathered data from human players to understand what goes into a good kick.
PIXI can aim and shoot soccer balls precisely, even for the upper corners, with a speed of up to 85 km/h. This robot is the world's first hydrogen-powered autonomous soccer robot, demonstrating Toyota's dedication to testing and refining cutting-edge technologies like hydrogen fuel cells and autonomous systems.
The soccer robot project was chosen to appeal to people of all ages and backgrounds. This aligns with Toyota's broader entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to expanding technology and engineering know-how into diverse areas, exploring new challenges and solutions that can ultimately contribute back to mobility and society at large.
Toyota's philosophy of continuous improvement (kaizen) and the drive to innovate are evident in their involvement in initiatives beyond cars. For instance, they have invested in agricultural production facilities and robotics. Projects like autonomous robots powered by hydrogen can test and refine these technologies, providing potential benefits for both automotive and societal applications.
Former member of Japan's national soccer team, Satoshi Tsunami, commented that PIXI is better than him at penalty kicks. This testament to PIXI's prowess underscores the TES's success in applying their engineering expertise to unconventional projects.
Takeru Miki, Group Manager, led the project despite having no personal experience in hardware design. His desire to challenge himself outside his expertise reflects Toyota's culture of embracing new challenges and pushing technological boundaries in varied domains.
In 2017, the TES created an AI-driven basketball robot as a response to a call from then-Chairman Uchiyamada to create something different. This move further demonstrates Toyota's commitment to fostering innovation and applying their engineering expertise beyond traditional boundaries.
The TES has also worked on unconventional projects such as a fish robot for collecting marine garbage, showcasing their versatility and adaptability in addressing diverse challenges.
In conclusion, Toyota's Toyota Engineering Society's foray into the soccer field with PIXI demonstrates their commitment to fostering innovation, pushing technological boundaries, and applying their engineering expertise beyond traditional automotive boundaries. This approach reflects Toyota's broader entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to expanding technology and engineering know-how into diverse areas, exploring new challenges and solutions that can ultimately contribute back to mobility and society at large.
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