The humanoid robot market is accelerating as AI and engineering advancements drive innovation. While challenges remain, experts foresee transformative impacts across industries, with major tech firms and start-ups heavily investing in this rapidly evolving field.
The humanoid robot market is poised for rapid growth, with companies racing to integrate androids into daily life. At the recent International Conference on Humanoid Robotics in Nancy, France, over 30 organisations and research institutions presented their latest advancements.
Dr Serena Ivaldi, Research Director at Inria, University of Lorraine, noted significant improvements in actuation and mechatronics, making robots more robust and efficient. Falling engineering costs have enabled global start-ups to increase development, while AI integration is driving innovation.
"AI advancements in image and language processing will create robots capable of understanding instructions and performing complex tasks," she explained.
These innovations could transform industries such as healthcare and disaster response, though challenges remain. Professor Agnieszka Wykowska of the Italian Institute of Technology emphasised that achieving fully autonomous robots capable of complex human interaction is still distant.
Major tech firms like Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia are investing heavily in AI, with funding for AI and cloud companies projected to reach $79.2 billion globally by 2024.
Start-ups like Universal Robots, Seegrid, and Covariant are also advancing in the field. Elon Musk recently predicted the production of 10 billion humanoid robots, priced at £16,000–£20,000, by 2040.
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