Embracing Humanoids: Are Robots Poised to Revolutionize Industries and Homes?

At a time when automation and robotics appear pretty much nonstop to be making new inroads, this year’s Association for Advancing Automation (A3) show provided a window into what living alongside humanoid robots as our next workmates, helpers or in-home companions might resemble. And yet, while the corporate world seems ripe for a humanoid revolution, are these robots even ready to assume such momentous roles?

The Humanoid Hype at A3

The absence of Agility and its famous Digit robots was almost as powerful as the presence of Neura’s launch of the 4NE-1 humanoid robot, which was accompanied by a debate over the suitability of humanoids for different purposes.

The Skeptic and #{HOME} Surrounding Humanoids

But in my somewhat modest role as moderator of the A3 panel, I learned that many of the audience members were fairly skeptical about humanoid robots – perhaps because this move from robots designed for particular fields to robots with general-purpose capabilities represents a profound departure from so much of the way things have worked for the past half century, and many of those it will affect have quite good reasons to be skeptical about whether they will work and work effectively.

Humanoid Robots: A Promise to Keep in #{HOME} and Beyond

During the lively panel discussion, representatives from Agility, Boston Dynamics, Apptronik, and Neura stressed that humanoid robotics is at a critical juncture. The excitement around these robots comes with a whole host of expectations and scepticism, fuelled in part by earlier instances of hype that died down because the technology just wasn’t quite there yet.

Overcoming Skepticism with Pragmatism in the Workplace and #{HOME}

For now, the possibility of humanoid robots collaborating with us in the workplace and at home, acquiring skills and manipulating objects the way we do, is hugely exciting. However, as we’ve seen, it’s far from straightforward: lying ahead are enormous challenges in learning how to fine-tune the manipulation capabilities of robots, in achieving behavioural intelligence, and in making robots safe to operate alongside people.

The Critical Path to Safe Coexistence in #{HOME} and Industries

Given the potential for humanoid robots to work alongside or in close proximity to humans, safety issues loom large – and it will be essential to make sure that they’re operating on a strong set of safety standards so that humans aren’t at risk. We also need a greater level of transparency about robot demonstrations so that people understand what robots can and can’t do – and what they’re really capable of.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Humanoids in Industries and #{HOME}

It’s also sobering to note that, as that discussion heats up, excitement about the capabilities of humanoid robots is matched by a strong dose of cynicism. To make it to reality will require a fine-grained analysis of what is really possible, driven by strategic partnerships and pilot projects.

Exploring the Potential of Robot Companions at #{HOME}

Outside of industry, the attraction of humanoids is the promise of having a robot that can pitch in with cooking, household chores and nursing the sick and elderly. In this vision, the robot would have the pliancy of a real human, able to perform worthwhile tasks across the home – a deeply attractive idea for anyone with an interest in the longer-term vision of a more automated, easy life.

More than ever, as we contemplate the eventual arrival of humanoid robots who might share our homes, a clear-sighted analysis of what robots are capable of is essential. The technological and cultural evolution of such robots will most likely be piecemeal, step by step, with technical, safety and ethics challenges continuing to appear as robots are gradually allowed into our homes.

That is to say, the factories might be ready to receive humanoid robots, but the robots themselves are not – at least, not yet ready for industrial work, and not even ready to be good home companions. It’s a story that embodies a technological exploration within a larger sociocultural debate. Humanoid robots, at work and at home, have a bright future – but if it is to be a safe and fully explored future, we need clear eyes with which to guide us there.