Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) is a private law foundation jointly established in 2003 by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research and the Ministry of Economy and Finance, with the aim of promoting excellence in both basic and applied research and facilitating the development of national economy. IIT is a research institute with a highly interdisciplinary focus. It operates according to three-year scientific programs approved by its Scientific and Technical Committee and governing bodies. The interdisciplinary nature stems from a scientific vision articulated in complementary and synergetic areas, such as robotics, neuroscience and neurotechnology, drug discovery and development, smart materials, graphene, energy, nanomedicine and computation.
IIT headquarters are located in Genoa (Italy). Since 2009 its activity has been further supported by 10 subsidiary research centers located throughout Italy (Turin, Milan, Trento, Parma, Rome, Pisa, Naples and Lecce). IIT staff currently exceed 1300 units. The scientific area accounts for about 85% of personnel, 45% of which is from abroad: 28% are scientists from more than 50 countries and 17% are Italian researchers who have come back to Italy after a professional experience abroad. IIT has produced about 4500 publications and 140 inventions resulting in 301 patent applications.
In particular, IIT scientific program originated from the idea of making humanoid robots closer and closer to humans, in terms of energy efficiency, artificial intelligence and bio-inspired materials. IIT scientists want to power robots with portable high efficiency energy sources, develop smart materials with biomimetic characteristics and investigate the interaction between artificial nanosystems and biological entities (such as cells) not only for future human-machine interconnections but also for health and safety issues.
IIT robotics envisages the design and production of ever more user-friendly and human- safe robots, where an easy interaction between people and robots will simplify and enrich many aspects of our daily life. Robots could be applied as co-workers in industrial domains as domestic companions, and help in emergency situations in case of disasters.
iCub is a robot the size of about a 4-year-old child– which explains the reason for the name “cub” - and is the result of a project developed within Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia. The project aimed at investigating human intelligence and recreating its characteristics into a humanoid robotic platform. The robot is 104 cm high and only 22 kg in weight. It is powered by 53 motors thanks to which it can move its head and hold and manipulate objects delicately. In addition, iCub has cameras which reproduce vision, microphones to capture sounds, inertia sensors which reproduce the sense of balance, and tactile (an artificial skin) and strength sensors to measure interaction with the environment. iCub is able to perform some actions autonomously, such as recognizing and grasping objects, using tools, keeping its balance and walking
More than 20 laboratories worldwide are now using an iCub robot to study intelligence thanks to the open source robotics platform, both for hardware and software,
iCub is an example of the important contribution that IIT is giving to Italian and international robotics. Studies in this field are taking place in an articulated and integrated framework of activities conducted by the Institute, which will converge on a single objective: to develop artificial systems based on a “human-centric” view of science, capable of representing tangible advantages for man and the surrounding environment, providing effective responses to the great challenges our society is and will face in the future (including first of all the aging population).
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