Humanoid transformer robots and methods of controlling the same

A robot comprising:

• an upper body comprising a torso and at least a first arm coupled to the torso, the first arm including a first end effector;
• a mobile base comprising a base body and a set of wheels coupled to the base body;
• and
• a pedestal linkage that couples the torso to the base body, wherein the pedestal linkage comprises a first end portion pivotally coupled to the base body at a first pivot joint and a second end portion pivotally coupled to the torso at a second pivot joint, and wherein the first pivot joint and the second pivot joint are both controllable to transform the robot into and between each of a first configuration in which the upper body is elevated above the mobile base and a second configuration in which the upper body is positioned at or adjacent a second end of the base body, and wherein:
• the base body includes a first foot portion and a second foot portion laterally separate from the first foot portion by a slot;
• the base body further comprises a connection portion which connects the first foot portion and the second foot portion;
• the first pivot joint is positioned at the connection portion;
• the pedestal linkage is pivotable at the first pivot joint to be at least partially received in the slot;
• a first upper surface of the first foot portion includes a first planar region;
• a second upper surface of the second foot portion includes a second planar region coplanar with the first planar region;
• and
• the pedestal linkage includes a third planar region which is coplanar with the first and second planar regions when the pedestal linkage is in the second configuration with the pedestal linkage received in the slot, wherein a dorsal surface of the pedestal linkage and a top surface of the base body form a congruent work surface in the second configuration, and wherein the torso is rotatable about a rotational axis that is orthogonal to a pivot axis of the second pivot joint and extends normal to the work surface, the torso being rotatable about the rotational axis through at least 180 degrees in at least one direction such that the upper body can load objects onto or unload objects from the work surface while in at least the second configuration.