We present an avatar system designed to facilitate the embodiment of humanoid robots by human operators, validated through iCub3, a humanoid developed at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia. More precisely, the paper makes two contributions: First, we present the humanoid iCub3 as a robotic avatar that integrates the latest significant improvements after about 15 years of development of the iCub series. Second, we present a versatile avatar system enabling humans to embody humanoid robots encompassing aspects such as locomotion, manipulation, voice, and facial expressions with comprehensive sensory feedback including visual, auditory, haptic, weight, and touch modalities. We validated the system by implementing several avatar architecture instances, each tailored to specific requirements. First, we evaluated the optimized architecture for verbal, nonverbal, and physical interactions with a remote recipient. This testing involved the operator in Genoa and the avatar in the Biennale di Venezia, Venice—about 290 kilometers away—thus allowing the operator to visit the Italian art exhibition remotely. Second, we evaluated the optimized architecture for recipient physical collaboration and public engagement on stage, live, at the We Make Future show, a prominent world digital innovation festival. In this instance, the operator was situated in Genoa while the avatar operated in Rimini—about 300 kilometers away—interacting with a recipient who entrusted the avatar with a payload to carry on stage before an audience of approximately 2000 spectators. Third, we present the architecture implemented by the iCub Team for the All Nippon Airways (ANA) Avatar XPrize competition.

中文翻译：

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iCub3虚拟形象系统：实现人形机器人的远程完全沉浸式体现

我们提出了一个化身系统，旨在促进人类操作员实现人形机器人，并通过 iCub3 进行验证，iCub3 是意大利技术研究所开发的人形机器人。更准确地说，该论文做出了两个贡献：首先，我们提出了人形 iCub3 作为机器人化身，集成了 iCub 系列经过约 15 年开发后的最新重大改进。其次，我们提出了一种多功能化身系统，使人类能够体现人形机器人，涵盖运动、操纵、声音和面部表情等方面，并具有视觉、听觉、触觉、重量和触摸方式等综合感官反馈。我们通过实施多个化身架构实例来验证系统，每个实例都根据特定要求进行定制。首先，我们评估了与远程接收者进行言语、非言语和身体交互的优化架构。此次测试涉及热那亚的操作员和相距约 290 公里的威尼斯威尼斯双年展的虚拟人物，从而使操作员能够远程参观意大利艺术展。其次，我们在著名的世界数字创新节“We Make Future”展会上评估了接收者物理协作和现场公众参与的优化架构。在这个例子中，操作员位于热那亚，而虚拟人物则在大约 300 公里外的里米尼进行操作，与接收者进行互动，接收者将有效负载委托给虚拟人物，以便在大约 2000 名观众面前的舞台上进行。第三，我们介绍 iCub 团队为全日空航空公司 (ANA) Avatar XPrize 竞赛实现的架构。