Ameca is a full-size, interactive, fully programmable humanoid robot.
The robot is designed for entertainment, education and engagement. It has 61 degrees of freedom, consisting of:
- 27 degrees of freedom animating the eyes, lips and other facial features
- 5 degrees of freedom in the neck
- 8 degrees of freedom in the shoulders, 4 left, 4 right
- 10 degrees of freedom in the arms, 5 left, 5 right
- 8 degrees of freedom in the hands, 4 left, 4 right
- 3 degrees of freedom in the torso
The robot includes microphones, cameras and a speaker to enable two-way audio-visual interaction.
All Engineered Arts robots are powered by the Tritium software platform.
For details relating to the drawing version of Ameca, please see here.
¶ Safety Instructions
Disconnect from Power
Ensure the robot is disconnected from the power supply before attempting to move, maintain or adjust any part of it.
Wiring and Circuitry
Do not attempt to modify or otherwise interfere with the electrical connections and/or circuitry of the robot.
Do not attempt to power the robot from any other source than the manufacturer-supplied power supply.
Any such modifications or interference may lead to dangerous situations that endanger the life of operators or other persons in the vicinity of the robot. Such modifications or interference will void any manufacturer warranty for the robot.
LiDAR Safety System
Do not attempt to modify, disable or otherwise interfere with any LiDAR safety sensors or associated systems on your robot.
These features are provided as a protective health and safety measure.
Any attempt to modify, disable or otherwise interfere with any LiDAR safety sensors or associated systems on your robot may result in dangerous situations leading to injury to persons in the vicinity of the robot.
Finger/hand Pinch Hazard
Take great care when touching or working with any of the robot's moving parts. The robot can be manually moved in the un-powered state - there are multiple points where fingers and or hands might be pinched by a mechanism in such an event.
Never attempt to touch or work with any of the robot’s moving parts when it is operational or connected to the power supply.
Pay careful attention to hazard warning labels applied to the product at all times, even when un-powered.
Robot Condition
Only use the robot if it is in good mechanical and electrical order. Never attempt to install or use a robot that has been subject to damage, including but not limited to:
- contamination by liquids
- contamination by dust / swarf / particulates
- mechanical impacts / drops etc.
- exposure to extreme temperatures or humidities
If in doubt, always refrain from using the robot and contact the manufacturer for advice.
See also LiDAR Safety Sensors for information about LiDAR based safety system used by some Engineered Arts robots.
¶ Intended Use and Limitations
¶ Intended Use
- the robot is designed for entertainment, research and product testing purposes only
- the robot is designed to be installed in a visitor attraction, research laboratory or similar venue, and to be used as an exhibit, attraction or product testing equipment at that venue
- as an attraction or exhibit, the robot is designed as an installation that users look at, listen to and talk to
- as a research platform, the robots is designed as a hardware device to execute customer software algorithms as part of their research activities
¶ Limitation of Intended Use
- the robot is not designed for any type of physical interaction, either with human beings, animals or any other physical object, with the exception of manufacturer supplied or approved accessories (e.g. costume)
- the robot is not designed to operate outdoors, in wet environments, in conditions of unusually high or low temperatures or humidities (see also: Operating Environment)
- the robot is not designed for any purpose other than entertainment (for example, it is not designed for delivering important factual information such as building fire escape directions or medical diagnoses)
¶ Operating Environment
The robot is suitable for indoor use only. Recommended environmental conditions:
 | Room temperature: 10-30°C (50-86°F) |
 | Humidity: 45-60% |
The robot must not be used, stored or transported in a wet environment where it may be exposed to leaks, splashes or other sources of liquid contamination (e.g. near swimming facilities, ornamental water features etc.).
The robot must not be used, stored or transported in an excessively dusty environment where it may be exposed to particulate contamination (e.g. machine workshops, construction environments etc.).
The robot must not be operated in an explosive atmosphere.
¶ Unboxing and Installation
The robot has component parts weighing between 20 and 30 kg. The detailed setup guide indicates preferred handling methods where applicable. Take care and follow good manual handling practices while lifting and moving.
The robot is an intricate and delicate product. Take care to avoid harsh handling, knocks and drops. Careless handling may damage the product.
Download the following PDF instruction booklets for full installation instructions:
¶ Supporting Information
Ameca power distribution unit - dimensional drawing
¶ Powering On and Off
¶ Powering On
- familiarise yourself with the information at LiDAR Safety Sensors if your robot is fitted with this system before attempting to power on
- toggle the main power switch at the knee to the "On" position (I is "On", O is "Off")
- ensure all three buttons (blue, yellow and red) at the hip control panel are illuminated. The blue button should always be illuminated after you turn the main power switch on. If the red or yellow button is not illuminated, press them to activate.
- move away from the robot until you are outside the LiDAR protected area (the robot will not move until you exit this area)
- wait for the startup and self-calibration sequence to complete (typically 1 - 2 minutes)
- the robot will move its degrees of freedom during self-calibration
- do not touch or interfere with the robot during startup
- you may also hear the compressor charge the air tanks in the leg, this could take up to a minute
¶ Powering Off
- approach the robot and short press the blue-illuminated power button on the control panel at the hip to initiate the robot shutdown sequence
- do not hold the button down as this will cut power after 10 seconds
- shutdown can take 1 - 2 minutes. When shutdown is completed, the blue illumination around the power button will go out.
- when the shutdown is complete, toggle the main power switch at the knee to the "Off" position
- be aware that, even when shut down, there may still be compressed air stored onboard the robot in its two air tanks (in the legs). In general the robot may be left like this without issue. If you need to exhaust the stored air, there are two finger-valves located on the rear of the robot just beneath the pelvis shell. Turn each valve through 90° to open and exhaust the air from each of the two tanks.
¶ Operating Instructions
The robot is operated using Engineered Arts Tritium software platform. The Tritium user interface is 100% web based, and can be accessed from any internet-connected computer without any installation on your local machine.
To get connected to your robot and start exploring its functionality, see the Getting Started page.
¶ Degrees of Freedom
The robot has a total of 61 actuated degrees of freedom.
The robot is build up from a number of modules. Please see the individual module pages for documentation of how that modules moves and is controlled.
The Ameca robot includes the following modules:
Brow Module v3 - motion of the eyebrows and nose
Eye Module v4 - motion of the eyeballs and eyelids
Lip Module v2 - motion of the jaw and lips
Note: Amecas with a serial number of AC-0031 and before use the neck module v5.3
Neck Module v6 - overall head and neck motion
Shoulder Module v6 - motion of the shoulders
Humerus Module v4 - motion of the upper arm
Forearm Module v2 - motion of the forearm
Mesmer Hand 001 Module - motion of the hand
Abdomen Module v2 - motion of the torso
¶ Head LEDs
Learn what each LED colour on your robot signifies, from operational and interaction modes to alerts here.
¶ Expressions
Ameca is equipped with a range of expressions.
See expressions for more details
¶ Dimensions
