A reporter from ChronicleLive visited Transmission Dynamics in Cramlington to meet Zomet, a humanoid robot that has gone viral on social media after videos showed it walking and waving at people in Northumberland Business Park.
Zomet was bought by the technology company to help engineers test artificial intelligence models. The project is in its early stages, with the robot currently able to walk and wave, but the company says this is "only the start".
Meeting the robot
The reporter was greeted by Jarek Rosinski, founder and chairman of Transmission Dynamics, who explained that the company acquired Zomet to explore what they could teach the robot. Rosinski said: "Zomet gives us an extraordinarily advanced physical platform, but our own work with him is only beginning. What people are seeing today is controlled movement supported by the robot’s onboard balance systems, not a finished, autonomous machine."
He added: "We see him as something of a blank canvas. Unitree has created the sophisticated mechanical platform; our challenge is to explore what happens when we combine it with our own sensors, electronics, edge processing, software, data and artificial intelligence."
Demonstrating the technology
During the visit, Zomet came to life and walked around the workshop, adjusting his feet to stay balanced. The reporter then took the robot outside to a grassy area opposite Innovation Way, where Zomet walked alongside a robotic lawnmower on wheels.
Near the end of the visit, the reporter went on a stroll with Zomet, who navigated divots in the grass without losing balance and even walked backwards at one point. The two waved towards the camera to finish the experience.
Future ambitions
Rosinski said: "A language model could eventually help Zomet understand spoken instructions, communicate and decide what higher-level action is required. The physical movement itself is a different engineering problem, requiring dedicated control software, sensing and very careful safety systems."
He added: "We want to teach him to see, understand and respond to the world around him. Ultimately, we want to discover whether machines like Zomet could undertake useful, clearly defined tasks in environments that are dangerous, difficult or simply impossible for people."
Transmission Dynamics develops sensors, electronics, software and artificial intelligence for sectors including rail, defence and power generation. Rosinski noted the region's industrial heritage, saying: "The North East was one of the birthplaces of the Industrial Revolution and the modern railway. Stephenson’s Rocket was built in Newcastle. Artificial intelligence and advanced robotics could now open another major industrial chapter."
