The fast pace of the evolution of technology seems to have created a need to bridge the gap between the former and humans. With robotics considered crucial to these advancements, the answer to mankind’s needs is believed to lie in humanoid robots. From what it’s understood, humanoid robots are designed to replicate human needs and emotions, while also being able to foster personal relationships. “I believe humanoid robots are advanced machines that mimic and resemble human behaviour and appearance. Humanoid robots seem to be establishing a name for themselves in the robotics industry by transforming various industries,” Vipin Vindal, CEO, Quarks Technosoft, a software and application development company, told FE TransformX.
The general concept surrounding robots is that they exist to make our lives easier. In terms of real-world use cases coming into the picture, humanoid robots have been backed to play an important role. It’s believed that through artificial intelligence’s (AI) influence, humanoid robots can execute functions without any assistance. According to market reports, humanoid robots carry traits such as natural language processing, facial recognition, and speech synthesis that enable them to portray human characteristics. Using their features, they can provide benefits such as creating interactive means for education, means for disaster management, and betterment of shopping experiences, among others. As for industries, humanoid robots can benefit different sectors including healthcare, entertainment, and customer service, among others. However, for the creation of humanoid robots, expenses tend to be very high and while it can take over jobs, it can negatively impact people working in certain positions.
“I think humanoid robots are making strides in the robotics landscape by addressing applications. They are being deployed in industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and customer service. Their ability to navigate environments, handle tools, and communicate with humans can make them valuable in roles where a human touch is necessary. Technologies such as AI, IoT, and ML play a pivotal role in enhancing humanoid robots’ capabilities,” Phani Tangirala, head of solutions and delivery – digital and technology services, Expleo, an engineering, technology and consulting service provider, highlighted.
According to MarketsandMarkets, an intelligence and market research firm, the humanoid robot sector is expected to reach $1.8 billion in 2023. Furthermore, the firm mentioned that by 2028, the sector will reach $13.8 billion, at a 50.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2023-28. Market-based research has shown that due to an increase in numbers related to baby boomers, especially in developing countries, the prospects continue to grow for the humanoid robot market. Along with that, the demand for humanoid robots is understood to be on the rise on account of increasing military budgets for regions such as the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. Currently, five humanoid robots namely Sophia, Junco Chihira, Jia Jia, Nadine and Geminoid DK have seemingly made their way into the market.
Reportedly, Sophia is the most advanced humanoid robot in comparison to others. Deployed in 2016, this robot was developed by Hanson Robotics, a Hong Kong-oriented company, to emulate the late Hollywood actress, Audrey Hepburn. The robot has been installed with AI and neural networks to acknowledge human faces and comprehend emotions, while also becoming the first robot innovation ambassador of the United Nations development program. Meanwhile, other robots such as Junco Chihira assists tourists through speech development abilities at a Tokyo-based tourist information centre, Jia Jia can generate conversations with people using facial recognition technologies and speech-generation algorithms, Nadine has a microphone, 3D depth cameras and a webcam to collect audio and visual information, and Geminoid DK looks similar to Henry Scharfe of University of Aalborg, belonging to the Geminoid series of ultra-realistic androids.
In March 2023, Elon Musk had predicted that the ratio between AI-backed humanoid robots and human beings “might be greater than one to one.” “You could sort of see a home use for robots, certainly industrial uses for robots, humanoid robots,” Musk stated, during Tesla’s Investor Day for this year, which seems to have set the path for upcoming humanoid robot innovations. For what lies ahead, market experts indicate that global companies and universities are coming up with ways to enable robots to blend with human society. Furthermore, AI-based developments are expected to set the tone for the social and relational learning of humanoid robots. “The future of humanoid robots holds promise. They are expected to integrate into daily life, assisting in tasks and addressing societal challenges. As technology evolves, we anticipate increased collaboration between humans and humanoid robots, raising ethical considerations about their role in society and the impact on employment. Moreover, humanoid robots are a force in robotics, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to bridge the gap between machines and humans,” Tangirala concluded.
