Humanoids are expected to be the next big thing in robotics. China, the world’s largest market for industrial robots, has set out specific targets for its plans to mass produce humanoids. Tech companies in the US and Europe are also announcing significant funding.
The vision is to create general-purpose robots based on human motion mechanics. To understand the trends, opportunities, and potential limitations of humaniods, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) has released a new positioning paper with valuable insights.
“Futuristic humanoids working in homes, businesses, and public spaces fuel people’s interest,” said Takayuki Ito, President of the International Federation of Robotics. “Since our environment is optimised for the human body, the idea of a quick, universal helper to maintain manufacturing and services is evident. If and when a mass adoption of humanoids will take place remains uncertain. In any case, humanoids are not expected to replace the types of robots currently on the market in the future. Instead, they will complement and expand upon existing technology.”
Humanoid adoption by region
In the US, tech companies like NVIDIA, Amazon, and Tesla are all developing advanced AI and robotics technologies. Besides military funding, a lot of private investments are supporting this development and result in a large number of startups developing humanoid robots. There is a strong interest in using humanoids in logistics and manufacturing. These machines are seen as tools for enhancing productivity and efficiency rather than as social companions. The focus is more on practical applications and less on integrating robots into daily social life.
China puts humanoids at the centre of their national strategy. The government wants to showcase its competence and global competitiveness in this field of technology. There is a strong emphasis placed on using humanoids in the service sectors like customer service. The use in manufacturing to automate production lines and reduce reliance on human labor seems only a second step. One key aspect of the Chinese strategy is to establish a supply chain for key components that is scalable.
Japan has been a pioneer in the development of humanoid robots with Honda’s Asimo being an early example revealed in October 2000. Robots are regarded as companions rather than mere tools. Humanoid robots like Pepper and Palro are designed primarily as social robots and are used in educational settings, commercial stores, and elderly care facilities, reflecting the needs of Japan’s ageing society. The focus is on creating robots that can live harmoniously with humans and are accepted as part of society. Leading companies such as Kawasaki are developing humanoid robots as research platforms.
Europe puts emphasis on the ethical implication of robotics and AI, with a significant focus on collaborative robots (‘cobots’) that work alongside humans in industrial settings. The focus is on improving safety, efficiency, and human capabilities, rather than replacing human workers. It is on human-centric design and the social and scoietal impact of robots. European businesses are more cautious about the use of humanoids to meet the automation neewds of the manufacturing and service sectors in the short to medium term.
