By: K. T. Chui

Robots and humans interact in every sphere of life regardless of whether we realize it or not and what is more, robots and humans will continue to interact regardless of how we try to stop it. And this is just the beginning — as we learn more about ourselves and AI advances even further, we can expect that robots will display advanced human-like capabilities that are currently inconceivable. There are many applications of robotics in the biometrics industry [1], construction [2], and other day-to-day work [3-5].

What is a Humanoid Robot?

A humanoid robot [6] is a robot with features that make them look like a human, as represented in figure 1. They can often walk and move like humans and may also talk and even interact socially – meaning they can work and collaborate alongside humans.

Historical Innovation in Robotics

Historically, robots have been defined as any machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. Robots started becoming popular in the 1950s and gathered public attention for doing what humans couldn’t. One of the most famous robots is HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was able to feel emotions and even take control of a spaceship. The robot’s creator and programmer Arthur C. Clarke did not intend for it to be portrayed as evil; he simply wanted to explore legal and moral questions about what qualifies as life.

Key Constraints That Affect the Design of a Robot

All robots experience a series of constraints in their design. The first constraint is movement type. There are totally different types of movement that push and pull, bend and extend, twist and turn, converge and diverge. The robust type of movement that can get an element from point A to point B best is dependent on what you plan to use the robot for. Another constraint is bipedalism – whether your robot walks as humans do, or if it runs like a four-legged animal.

Evolution of Prosthetics and Possible Implications on Robotics

Humans have envisioned robotic hand substitutes for centuries. The first amputee-qualified prosthetic limb was developed in 1838. After that, people were still trying to figure out how to replace human parts. At the time, they would just relieve pain by massaging the sore area with oils or ointments – this was done manually. The ways of dealing with chronic diseases and injuries has evolved over many centuries. This is the case especially when it comes to prosthetics – limb replacements developed to where miracles can be performed today by replacing lost limbs with artificial ones which restore functionality – giving someone who lost a leg the ability to walk again after only a few months.

Everyday Usage Robots

Humanoid robots can be used in place of humans in a variety of everyday tasks. They can take the place of security and law enforcement and patrol areas, and help clean up oil spills or other environmental disasters. Massev Robotic Solutions exports their robots to Exxon Mobil and uses them to work on tank farms and other self-contained facilities. They’re not just for soft labor though, they can play soccer, help give lessons, speak for you when you’re sick, and much more.

Housekeeper Robots

Paragraph: For cleaning duties, “iRobot Roomba 650 Model With Wi-Fi Connectivity” is the robot that does best in hardwood floors, even with long hair or pet fur. The

Application in Education

Humanoid robots do not come without an educational purpose. They can help students learn STEM subjects at the pre-college level, while some military adaptive brain robot design concepts are also being researched for offline facial recognition in some humanities classes.

Robotic development in India

With a population of 1.3 billion people, India has huge potential to become an economic power with a booming robotic industry. And as they continue to develop, more and more Indian firms are emerging, investing in robotics research and development, and creating robotic solutions for the most complicated of problems.

Cogent Robotics

Cogent Robotics is a robotics company based in Mumbai, India. The company applies artificial intelligence and machine learning to help customers create robots for their business needs. Cogent Robotics was founded by Mithun Sheshadri and Gaurav Singh with the goal of becoming one of the leading players in the Indian robotics market.

Intuitive Automation

Intuitive Automation is a company that was founded in 1991 and specializes in developing robotic solutions for manufacturing applications. The company provides services like robotics integration, customization, calibration, and training. Intuitive Automation has partnered with companies like Tata Motors, Volkswagen, BMW Group India, Audi, Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz), Renault SA (Nissan), Honda Cars India Ltd., Great Eastern Shipping Co. Ltd., and Hyundai Motor India.

Wipro

Wipro Limited is an Indian multinational corporation that provides business and technology services. It employs approximately 159,000 people in over 50 countries worldwide. The company is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

Denso India Private Limited

Denso India Private Limited is an international company based in Bangalore, India. They specialize in supplying automotive parts to the Indian market. The company has over 16,000 employees and their products cover every corner of the automobile industry.

Sasken Communication Technologies Ltd.

Sasken is a leader in the Indian ICT market and is the third largest player in the country after TCS and Infosys. The company pioneered India’s 3rd generation telecom network with its IT products. They also provide services to companies like Dell, RIM, Wipro, HP, Nokia Siemens Networks, and Alcatel-Lucent.

Consumer Robotics Division of ABB Group

ABB is a Swiss-Swedish multinational company, founded in 1883 in Switzerland. The ABB Group offers a complete range of products and services for power transmission and distribution:, has annual net sales of around CHF 59 billion. It has been ranked as one of the top 10 global players in the power and automation industry.

Microdia Limited

Microdia is a company based in Jaipur, India. They have been in the business of manufacturing and assembling electronic items since their inception in 1989.

Mitsubishi Electric OE Solutions Asia Pte Ltd.

Mitsubishi Electric is one of the top ten robotics companies in India. It provides industrial robots that are designed to be reprogrammable and flexible, helping customers save time and money. They also specialize in automation solutions for the automotive industry, offering customers ruggedly-designed robots customized for their specific needs.

Kuka AG

Kuka AG is a company that designs and produces robotics and automation equipment. They are headquartered in Augsburg, Germany with subsidiaries in the USA, China, Singapore, Finland, Sweden, Italy, France and India. Kuka designs various types of robots for various industries. Their products include the KR AGILUS family of intelligent assistance systems that take on manual tasks requiring high precision or endurance which would involve dangerous work.

Adept Technology Inc.

Adept Technology Inc. is the only India-based company with a significant global presence in robotics. The company is based in Pune, India, but has offices worldwide. It also is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of industrial robots.

Adept Technology is committed to serving customers globally with innovative robotic solutions that are the most reliable, robust, and adaptable on the market today.

Future Challenges for Robotics

• As now that robots are developed that has multidimensional functionality so there is a need for development of materials for fabrication of them.
• There is a need for development of a power source that is efficient and long lasting.
• There is need to develop the new AI techniques through which reports become more efficient and more accurate.
• More protocols human computer interaction should be developed through which the robots can understand the ethics and social norms of human world.

Conclusion

I think the future is bright for both humans and robots. The world will be a better place to live in because of robots. They will help take care of our elderly population, save human lives in dangerous occupations, be companion pets, explore space, explore deep-sea environments, and unlock our imagination. Who knows what humans might do with all the time they have when they no longer have to work? Be creative? Be productive in ways that we haven’t imagined yet? Invest more time in their family, friends, and community? We are not sure what the future will look like with humans and robots. But I have a feeling that robots will make our lives easier and better in ways we can’t imagine.

References

1. Li, J., de Ávila, B. E. F., Gao, W., Zhang, L., & Wang, J. (2017). Micro/nanorobots for biomedicine: Delivery, surgery, sensing, and detoxification. Science Robotics, 2(4).
2. S. J. Keating, J. C. Leland, L. Cai, N. Oxman, Toward site-specific and self-sufficient robotic fabrication on architectural scales. Sci. Robot. 2, eaam8986 (2017)
3. Laschi, C., Mazzolai, B., & Cianchetti, M. (2016). Soft robotics: Technologies and systems pushing the boundaries of robot abilities. Science robotics, 1(1), eaah3690.
4. Hawkes, E. W., Blumenschein, L. H., Greer, J. D., & Okamura, A. M. (2017). A soft robot that navigates its environment through growth. Science Robotics, 2(8).
5. Terryn, S., Brancart, J., Lefeber, D., Van Assche, G., & Vanderborght, B. (2017). Self-healing soft pneumatic robots. Science Robotics, 2(9).
6. Kanda, T., Ishiguro, H., Imai, M., & Ono, T. (2004). Development and evaluation of interactive humanoid robots. Proceedings of the IEEE, 92(11), 1839-1850.

Cite this article as

K. T. Chui (2021), Humanoid Robots: The future of mankind, Insights2Techinfo, pp.1

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