Direct from their encore performances at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the Murata Cheerleaders took center stage at the Rough Draft Brewing Company on Wednesday, January 11 – much to the delight of the Peregrine San Diego Team.
Koichi Yoshikawa and Yoshihiko Takeda from the Corporate Section, Corporate Communications Office of Murata led the Cheerleaders through their routine – providing the background story on the creation of the Cheerleaders and answering questions from the crowd.
The Cheerleaders were launched on September 25, 2014. Following in the footsteps of the MURATA BOY and MURATA GIRL robots, the Cheerleaders were designed to demonstrate stabilization, synchronization, sensing and communications – all possible using Murata technology. Capacitors, inductors, gyro sensors, ultrasonic sensors, filters, communication modules, ferrite beads, crystal units and MAGISTRAPS® from Murata create the “secret sauce” that enables the Cheerleaders to dance.
How they Work
The secret of their amazing balance lies in three gyro sensors (much like those found in the electronic stability control of automobiles), which identify the direction that their bodies are leaning toward, and then move them in that direction maintaining perfect body alignment.
Each Murata Cheerleader is equipped with five ultrasonic microphones and four infrared sensors, installed in its head. Data from these sensors are shared via a wireless network, enabling each Cheerleader’s position to be accurately located in real time. Relative positions are determined with a combination of ultrasonic and infrared signals, which travel at different speeds. It’s the same principle as counting the seconds between a flash of lightning and the sound of thunder to determine distance.
Each Cheerleader has a communications module to relay the data to a central control system, where relative positions are processed to ensure that the Murata Cheerleaders move flawlessly without bumping into each other.
The Cheerleaders perform balanced on a ball. They are 36 cm tall and weigh 1.5 kg. They can perform for approximately 1 hour and travel 30 cm per second on a 4m x 4m platform. There are three teams of 12 Cheerleaders that perform worldwide demonstrating Murata’s leadership position as an innovator in electronics.
Antonio Lie enjoys a rare opportunity to hold one of the Cheerleaders. “It is amazing how these robots balance themselves on a ball while dancing in unison.”
More Information on the Cheerleaders
If you would like to read more about these incredible machines, please visit the Murtata Manufacturing website and take a look at the Murata Cheerleader Page.