Robots of the future at Boston Dynamics.

The robots of the future are here today. This isn’t a gimmick, these robots are real. The next 10 years will see more change than the last 50 years. This quote sums it up well: “The robots of the cartoons and movies from the 1970s are going to be the reality of the 2020s.” ~Alec Ross.

There is a great deal of changing happening in the world. Go to McDonald’s and there is a kiosk to self order. Go to Walmart and check out groceries on your own. Cars are driving on their own and technology to do all this improves every day. “First, stop thinking of robots. A robot is a container for AI, sometimes mimicking the human form, sometimes not–but the AI itself is the computer inside the robot. AI is the brain, and the robot is its body–if it even has a body.” ~Tim Urban

Spot

Spot is a four-legged robot that is designed to be versatile and adaptable. It can be equipped with a variety of sensors and tools, allowing it to be used for a wide range of applications, including:

Inspection and monitoring
Mapping and surveying
Search and rescue
Delivery and logistics
Construction and mining

Spot is already being used by a number of companies and organizations around the world. For example, it is being used to inspect oil and gas pipelines, survey construction sites, and deliver packages to businesses.

Handle

Handle is a two-wheeled robot that is designed to be fast and maneuverable. It can balance itself on two wheels and move quickly through complex environments. Handle is still under development, but it has the potential to be used for a variety of applications, including:

Delivery and logistics
Warehouse automation
Inspection and monitoring
Personal transportation

Atlas

Atlas is a humanoid robot that is designed to be agile and powerful. It can walk, run, jump, and climb, and it can manipulate objects with its hands. Atlas is still under development, but it has the potential to be used for a variety of applications, including:

Disaster relief
Construction and manufacturing
Healthcare and social services
Personal assistance

Robot Quotes

“You shouldn’t fear immigrants taking your job, you should fear robots.” ~Sead Fadilpasic
“We have to face the fact that countries are going to lose jobs to robotics. The only question that needs to be answered is which country will create and own the best robotic technology and have the infrastructure necessary to enable it.” ~Mark Cuban.
“The age of artificial intelligence is among us. AI used to be all about the future, but the future is here.” ~Dave Waters
“Don’t think of robots as replacements for humans — think of them as things that will help make us better at tackling many of the problems we face.” ~Eoin Treacy
“You take the best and brightest 200 human beings on the planet, you scan their brains and you get robots that to all intents and purposes are indivisible from the humans on which they are based, except a thousand times faster and better.” ~Robin Hanson
“If you look at the robotic devices that are coming into the restaurant industry — it’s cheaper to buy a $35,000 robotic arm than it is to hire an employee who’s inefficient making $15 an hour bagging French fries — it’s nonsense and it’s very destructive and it’s inflationary and it’s going to cause a job loss across this country like you’re not going to believe.” ~Ed Rensi
“We are approaching a time when machines will be able to outperform humans at almost any task. I believe that society needs to confront this question before it is upon us: if machines are capable of doing almost any work humans can do, what will humans do?” ~Moshe Vardi
Robots are being programmed to feel pain and react to it — just like humans do. The incredible advance sees an artificial robot nervous system being trained to react to pain messages to save themselves from danger. The project, headed up by scientists from Leibniz University of Hannover, presents an about-face in terms of robotic design for some. Long thought to be useful for the very reason that they did not feel pain — allowing them to perform unpleasant, dangerous tasks without issue — researchers believe a system to recognise pain will help preserve robots.” ~Kirstie McCrum
“Robots are able to see, hear and learn. Welcome to the future.” ~Dave Waters