In the digital era of humanoid robots’ technology is growing with the speed of light. You can see how technology is affecting and improving fast business, education, lifestyle, analysis of data, interpretation of paragraphs and given content.
Define Humanoid robot:
Humanoid robots can mimic like humans and walk like humans on two legs and looks like humans. As a result humanoid robot has head, ears, eyes, legs, hand just like humans etc. there Is another term which is also as called android robot which means android robot can also mimic like humans. Primary purpose of humanoid robot is to communicate, interact with surrounding environment.
History
Humanoid robot began in 20th century for mechanical electronic system only. at that time robots were doing work like lifting heavy weights which humans can not do. however the functional humanoid robot introduced in 1970 and in 1980. the first of its kind of robot was warbot 1. Developer of that robot is Waseda university in Japan in the year of 1973. this robot was way ahead compare to other robots made before as this robot was able to walk, grab things like humans and used to talk also like humans.
Key features of humanoid robots
1. Bipedal Locomotion: more commonly humanoid robots are design to walk like human and to some extent mimic like humans. This king of robot manufacturing and programming is kind of complex in nature and difficult to achieve.
2. Articulated arms and hands: this kind of robots are equip with arms for object lifting.
3. Vision system: in this kind of features robot can see things with camera and sensors. Where in computer connected with robot help to see the objects.
4. speech and hearing: todays modern robot can understand and speak the language using natural language processing (NLP). In robot microphone and sensors in software make the robot to listen and speak the language.
5. Artificial intelligences: AI is everywhere in today’s digital world of internet. From virtual, chatbot, humanoid form etc.
Applications of humanoid robots
1. Education: These robots are used to teach students, especially disabled children. Robots like NAO are programmed to work around students and teach them and care for children.
2. healthcare: robots like pepper and Robear handle people who can’t stand up from places who are aged and can’t move due to health issues.
3. Customer service: retail store, banks, hotels use these kinds of robots as assistant. But, this is happening in foreign countries. Right now, in India there is no such concept on this much level.
4. Disaster response: humanoid robot can be helpful in such emergency situation around construction sites, elevators, stairs. Robots like atlas are designed for search and rescue mission for humans if trapped in a dangerous situation under any heavy objects.
5. entertainment and hosting: sometimes robots are developed for entertainment purposes also. In this type of programming of robot they can tell a joke, perform dance, do standup comedies etc.
Technical Challenges
1. Balancing: for robot to be stand and walk like human is not at all easy to do. Effective sensors must work properly for this lot of hard work, programming, and wiring.
2. Human like dexterity: for a robot mimicking of human voice writing like human is too complex and difficult as robot’s hand fingers movements are flexibility like humans is difficult.
3. Battery life: robots consume to much energy as there are motors, dozens of sensors, chips, camera, wiring, software updates, memory storage etc. which consume too much energy. So, battery drain rate is major problem in such kind of robot.
4. Too costly: to design and manufacture such detailed humanoid robot is too much costly process. And contains risk of failures too.
5. social acceptance and approval: it is mandatory that society as a whole accept the robot existence in the world otherwise robot and human co-existence won’t take place. Apart from that there are also legal and psychological concerns that humans may raise for existence of robot among humans and society.
Popular example for real world humanoid robots
1 Sophia: developed by Hanson robotics this is an AI powered based humanoid female robot called Sophia. She can even make do facial expression just like humans with emotions on her face.
2 Tesla Optimus: Elon’s tesla launched humanoid robot in 2021 called Optimus. The purpose of making Optimus was to make him done routine manual labor work.
Future of humanoid robots
It is predicated that humanoid robots will take place in major ways in human life in future. With advancement in technology and programming. It might be possible that we can buy our own humanoid robot online from various platforms. Like today we buy groceries, tech gadgets, electrics, clothing, food from online. After few years we might see people buying robots online.
In next decade we may see humanoid robots to do works like
Household
Cooking
Gardening
Babysitting
Security of home or offices
Driving a car
By the way there may be privacy, ethical consideration, AI and robotics rules and regulations, formal committee for robotics and AI, laws regarding AI and robotics may affect things in major way.
Conclusion: it is amazing to see such kind of scenario take place in future. But even robotics on their starting phase keep learning new things. Their capabilities to take care of humans and way to live with human and human culture is still in learning mode. Once robots get feed in his memory for about how humans live, what do they do, how they do. it might possible that robots can coexist with humans in future.