The Near Future of Robotics

Robotics is rapidly advancing and causing significant changes in various industries. How will robotics change in the future? In this article, we will examine areas of robotics with a high probability of change.

Advancement of Humanoid Robots

Humanoid robots are robots that mimic the form and movements of humans, designed to perform actions similar to those of humans. In the future, we expect to see humanoid robots capable of more refined movements and interactions.

• Sophiais a prime example of a humanoid robot. Sophia can communicate with people through natural conversations and changes in expression. In the future, with more advanced artificial intelligence and sensory technology, robots like Sophia are expected to play active roles in various service sectors.
• ASIMOis a humanoid robot developed by Honda, capable of mimicking various human actions such as walking, running, and climbing stairs. ASIMO is expected to play various roles in manufacturing and service industries.
• Nadineis a humanoid robot developed by Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, capable of naturally conversing with people and expressing emotions. Nadine can be used in various fields, including elderly care, education, and hospitality.

Expansion of Autonomous Robots

Autonomous technology is a crucial part of robotics and will bring about significant changes in various fields. Not only self-driving cars but also autonomous drones and autonomous logistics robots are advancing.

• Autonomous dronesare being used in various fields, including logistics, agriculture, and disaster relief. For example, Amazon Prime Air provides fast delivery services using autonomous drones. In the future, it is anticipated that more autonomous drones will be used in various industries.
• Autonomous trucksare causing major changes in long-distance logistics and delivery. For example, TuSimple is developing autonomous trucks to reduce logistics costs and improve safety.
• Starship Robotics’ autonomous delivery robotscan deliver food and packages to customers' doorsteps. These robots make in-city delivery services more efficient.

Advancement of Soft Robots

Soft robots are made of flexible materials and have different characteristics from conventional rigid robots. Soft robots move naturally through biomimetic technology and are expected to play a significant role in medical and rehabilitation fields.

• Soft robot arms allow for precise and flexible movement, enabling them to perform sensitive tasks. They are particularly useful in the medical field for assisting with patient rehabilitation or performing small surgical procedures.
• Soft grippers are robotic hands that can gently grasp objects of various shapes and sizes. This technology can be used in various industries, including food processing, packaging, and medical device assembly.
• Soft wearable robots are designed to assist people with muscle impairments. For example, the soft exosuit developed by Harvard University assists users' leg muscles, helping with walking and movement.

Advancement of Collaborative Robots (Cobots)

Collaborative robots (cobots) are robots that work together with humans to perform tasks. Cobots are designed to work safely and efficiently with humans and play an important role in manufacturing and service industries.

• Universal Robots' UR series cobots are used in small manufacturing companies and large factories, performing tasks such as assembly, packaging, and inspection alongside human workers. Cobots are easy to program and highly flexible, allowing them to adapt to various tasks.
• KUKA's iiwa cobot can sense delicate touches, allowing it to work safely with humans. It is used in various industries such as automotive manufacturing and electronics assembly.
• ABB's YuMi is a collaborative robot suitable for assembling small parts. It can work safely with human workers and is used in the assembly of electronic products, watches, and medical devices.

Innovation in Medical Robots

Medical robots play an important role in surgery, rehabilitation therapy, and patient care. In the future, more precise and efficient medical robots will be developed to improve the quality of medical services.

• The da Vinci surgical robot has robotic hands that can perform precise surgical procedures, allowing surgeons to perform surgery more accurately. In the future, more hospitals will adopt medical robots to improve the safety and efficiency of surgery.
• Rehabilitation robots are designed to help patients regain motor function. For example, ExoBionics' rehabilitation robot helps patients walk and strengthen their muscles.
• Drug delivery robots are used to precisely deliver drugs to a patient's body. For example, insulin pump robots monitor the blood sugar levels of diabetic patients and automatically administer insulin when needed.

Spread of Educational and Service Robots

Educational and service robots play an important role in improving people's daily lives and learning environments. These robots will become smarter and more interactive.

• The Pepper robot interacts with people through emotion recognition technology and is used in education and service sectors. For example, it is used to assist students' learning in schools or provide customer service in shopping malls.
• The NAO robot is an educational robot used in various fields such as programming education, language learning, and STEM education. NAO interacts with students and assists in their learning.
• Hotel service robots are used to provide customer service in hotels. For example, at Hilton hotels, a robot named Connie answers customers' questions and guides them to hotel facilities.

Conclusion

These innovative areas of robotics have the potential to significantly change our lives in the future. The future of robotics is bright, and its development is expected to have a positive impact on our daily lives and industries. We look forward to the amazing advancements that robotics will bring in the future.

• Related Articles: Click here if you want to know about the history of robotics.