According to a 2019 report from Oxford Economics, there will be as many as 20 million robots by 2030. New uses for robotics in healthcare, automation, engineering, machine learning, and more are adding to that number, and experts say the future’s looking bright. “I like to think about all the potential that comes with this new technology to help us live better lives than we do today,” said James Ryan Burgess, CEO of Wing, during a CES 2021 panel.
The Future of Robotics
There are over 240 companies who deem themselves to be in the “robotics” space at CES this year. The sector is rapidly growing, but experts still say there are many hurdles to overcome before we can coexist with robots. “Everyone sees this as a shiny new space to get into, but there’s a learning curve for sure,” said Kathy Winter, vice president and general manager of the Autonomous Transportation and Infrastructure Division at Intel, during the panel. Some of these hurdles include scalability, how to operate fleets of robots, and government regulations on standards and safety. “It takes the industry coming together to show what’s possible,” Burgess said. “We need to teach what the technology is capable of and how to make it standardized. It’s an honest challenge to move as fast as the technology is happening.” Another hurdle the robotics industry must overcome is the way the general public views robots. While many of us may think of robots as futuristic tech, experts say the technology already is here, and it’s improving all the time. “People used to think about robots as a gimmick or not something really useful, but they actually will come to realize this change in the world comes much quicker than they thought,” said Ahti Heinla, the co-founder and CEO of Starship Technologies, during the panel. “These services are existing and work—it’s just that [customers] haven’t used them yet.”
The Robots at CES
At CES 2021, hundreds of robots made their debut that do everything from delivering goods and sanitizing rooms to providing you company and pouring you a glass of pinot noir. Here are some of our favorites.
MOFLIN
Perhaps the cutest robot at CES this year is Vanguard Industries’ MOFLIN pet robot. The cute little robot uses artificial intelligence and sensors beneath its furry grey coat to use human interactions to determine patterns and evaluate its surroundings. It even makes noises and moves. If your apartment doesn’t allow pets, this could be the next best thing.
Dual Arm Robot System (DARS)
The Industrial Technology Research Institute has developed a robot with human-like arms and hands to serve multiple healthcare applications. The robot’s hands mimic human dexterity with high precision to perform diverse tasks, such as playing an electric piano. With two seven-axis, three-foot arms that each have five fingers, the DARS can hold various objects, even if they are soft or irregularly shaped.
Samsung Robots
Samsung debuted a few new robots at CES earlier this week, one being the JetBot 90 AI+. This handy robot vacuum uses lidar and artificial intelligence to navigate your home. It can automatically empty its dustbin while also keeping an eye on your pets when you’re not home. Samsung’s Bot Handy robot is a butler of sorts that can put away your dirty dishes, pick up objects of varying sizes, shapes, and weights, and bonus—can even pour you a glass of wine, all while using advanced AI. The company’s third robot, called Bot Care, acts as a personal assistant that grows accustomed to your behavior over time. In Samsung’s example of potential uses, the Bot Care can remind you to take a break from work and stretch or remind you of upcoming meetings you have on your schedule.
ADIBOT
Since we’ve all become obsessed with sanitizing this past year, UBTECH came out with a robot that sanitizes for us. The robot system, called ADIBOT, helps disinfect surfaces by combining UV-C disinfection technology with AI. The ADIBOT systems provide 360-degree radiant light coverage, as well as intelligent safety features, including the use of “risk mitigation” cameras, PIR sensors, sensor-enabled safety signage, and an emergency remote control. You no longer need to wonder what a future with robots will look like, because it’s already here. Hopefully to help. Want more? See all our coverage of CES 2021 right here.
