In this paper, we will describe our attempt for a tele-operated humanoid robot to drive a backhoe. It will be possible for a humanoid robot to drive an industrial vehicle instead of a human operator. If a humanoid robot can be operated by a human operator from a remote site, it enables to use a general type of vehicle safely in a dangerous field. We introduced a backhoe as the target vehicle to show the possibility of driving a vehicle in a sitting posture. The robot sits down with balancing on a cockpit of the backhoe and manipulates control levers for driving. We developed a portable remote control device and remote control methods to operate the humanoid robot. For the evaluation, it is tested to sit down and manipulate the levers on the driving cockpit of the real backhoe. To compare it with a human's work, the efficiency is close to practical use.

This is the first successful trial in the world to remotely control a humanoid robot so as to drive an industrial vehicle (backhoe) outdoors in lieu of human operator. Furthermore, the robot's operation was controlled while having it wear protective clothing to protect it against the rain and dust outside. This is too marks a world-first success demonstrating the humanoid robot's capability of performing outdoor work even in the rain. These results were achieved thanks to the development of the following three technologies: (1) the "remote control technology" for instructing the humanoid robot to perform total body movements under remote control and the "remote control system" for executing the remote control tasks; (2) the "protection technology" for protecting the humanoid robot against shock and vibrations of its operating sets and against the influences of the natural environment such as rain and dust; and (3) "full-body operation control technology" for controlling the humanoid robot's total capability to prevent the robot from falling over. The humanoid robot has a promising application potential for restoration work in environments struck by catastrophes and in civil engineering and construction project sites where it can "work" safely and smoothly.