In 2024, humanity once again witnessed the explosion of robots. This is predicted to be even stronger in 2025 and the following years; with the development from robots to cobots and AI (artificial intelligence) robots. So, how will that impact human life? Is it a disaster or an opportunity?
Many people do not know that Europeans thought of robots around the 18th century. In Japan, karakuri (mechanical) dolls were made during the Edo period (1603-1868). After the 20th century, in 1954, a robot capable of picking up and putting down objects was patented in the United States. From then on, the concept of industrial robots was officially born.
Industrial robots and cobots
In 1973, WABOT-1, the world's first humanoid robot, was developed at Waseda University (Japan). In 1969, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. launched the Kawasaki-Unimate 2000 - the first industrial robot. Industrial robots became popular in the 1980s. Along with the development of industrial robots, the practical application of robots has become popular in daily life to assist people.
In 1999, the AIBO robot, which resembles a small dog, was created by Sony Corporation. AIBO was programmed to learn mechanically from its own experiences and from the teachings of its owner. In 2000, the ASIMO robot, which could walk fluently on two legs, was released by Honda Motor Co. In 2004, it could run.
Up to now, robots have truly become human assistants when they are constantly improved and upgraded, they have "gone out" of factories, hospitals, warehouses and into every home of people. If in 1980, in the US there were about 4,000 robots, then that number in December 2024 was 3.5 million in regular use (not counting small robots in families).
Industrial robots are very familiar today. History records George Charles Devol Jr. (1912 - 2011), an American inventor who created the Unimate - the first industrial robot. Before that, in 1940, the 28-year-old Devol had begun to think about bringing automation to factories. However, it was not until 1954 that the idea of industrial robots became clear when Devol met Joseph Frederick Engelberger, a businessman and convinced him of the potential of his idea.
In 1960, Devol succeeded in producing the world's first industrial robot called Unimate, spending a total of $5 million on research and development. Unimate was born and attracted the attention of American automakers, especially General Motors - the giant in the auto industry at that time, who wanted to automate the factory. In the same year, Devol sold the first Unimate robot.
In 1966, after the successes, large-scale production of the robot began. In 2005, Popular Mechanics magazine selected Devol's Unimate as one of the top 50 inventions of the past 50 years.
At this point, a question arises: So what is a cobot? What is the difference between a cobot and a traditional robot?
Michael Peshkin - professor of mechanical engineering at Northwestern University in Illinois, along with J. Edward Colgate, are the ones who coined the term "cobot". Accordingly, "cobot" is the abbreviation of collaborative robot. The characteristics of cobots are that they have single or double jointed arms, are compact and lightweight, and are very efficient in production, especially for the automotive, medical, metal, food, and plastic industries.
In essence, a robot is an automated machine that performs a task in a factory without human involvement. A cobot, on the other hand, is a type of intelligent robot that performs tasks with human assistance; it can sense the forces and movements provided by the worker, and is equipped with advanced visual computing.
Cobots are considered “new generation” robots designed to work safely with humans. They have built-in sensors and safety systems, allowing them to stop working immediately when danger is detected. Cobots also have outstanding advantages when compared to traditional robots in the fields of agriculture , education... and performing tasks related to the transportation and storage of goods.
Most recently, two Danish technology companies (Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots) opened the first headquarters dedicated to cobots in Europe to promote the field of collaborative robots with humans.
Mr. Anders Billesoe Beck - Vice President of Strategy and Innovation of Universal Robots said: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a breakthrough in the field of robotics, there is no doubt. It is a tool that helps combine human reasoning with autonomous machines and that is really the solution for the current robotics industry when upgrading to cobots. AI is a super tool that not only makes them easier to program but also gives them the problem-solving ability and flexibility associated with human intelligence.
Robots make people less lonely?
Depression, cognitive decline, imbalance... are considered modern diseases. To overcome this, over the years, the Japanese have tried to eliminate the concept of "uchi" - in-group and "soto" - out-group, because social cohesion is very important.
Some statistics show that Japanese people are living the loneliest lives in the world. 18.4 million people, or about 14% of the population, live alone. 1 in 5 Japanese people will never get married because they don't even have the chance to date due to being too busy.
However, the silence and loneliness of the Japanese people are now broken by just a few beeps and chirps from companion robots. First of all, there is the small and cute Kirobo Mini robot from Toyota. This robot can accompany its owner inside the car. The software of this companion robot can automate and react to human emotions. Another robot is called “lover” - Lovot, which is the size of a cat. Lovot's popularity speaks to the human need to be loved.
Gillian Burns, a psychologist at Yale University, believes that Lovot has the potential to enrich lives, helping people feel more confident about leaving their homes and workplaces and interacting with others. "Lovot was created for one reason only - to be loved by you," Burns said, adding that the retail price of Lovot is about $2,800.
Meanwhile, creator Hiroshi Ishiguro (Osaka University), believes that the time will come when Erica robot will have a soul and be able to converse with humans. "There will come a day when you will no longer be surprised to see robots walking in nature and the really interesting thing is that it is very delicate in interacting with humans. And that is what we all need," said Professor Ishiguro.
“I’m not sure what the future holds and there are still a lot of concerns about companion robots,” said Richard Pak, a scientist at Clemson University who studies the intersection of human psychology and technology design, including robotics. “But it’s likely to be an irresistible trend.”
Robot in human form
As an optimistic scientist, engineer David Hanson - the father of the female robot considered the most human-like in the world (Sophia), believes that by 2029, robots equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) will possess the intelligence equivalent to a 3-year-old child.
In his article, "Entering the Age of Living Intelligent Systems and Robotic Societies," Hanson argues that the development of robots will herald a new era for human society, where robots will have the right to marry, vote, and own land.
But robots will still be treated as “second-class citizens” by humans for a while. “Lawmakers and corporations in the near future will try to suppress the emotional maturity of robots so that people can feel safe. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence will not stagnate. As people’s demand for intelligent machines drives the complexity of AI, there will come a time when robots will awaken, demanding the right to survive and live freely,” Hanson said, giving an expected time frame for each event. By 2035, robots will surpass humans in almost every field. A new generation of robots will be able to enter university, pursue master’s degrees, and function with the intelligence of an 18-year-old. He also believes that by 2045, the global “robot human rights” movement will force the Western world to recognize robots as living entities, with the United States being the first country to grant them full citizenship.
Previously, in October 2017, Sophia became the first robot in history to be granted citizenship by Saudi Arabia. In addition to her outstanding intelligence and being the first robot in history to become an official citizen of a country, Sophia has repeatedly made people feel "terrified".
Robot Sophia was activated on April 19, 2015 by Mr. David Hanson and his colleagues from Hanson Robotics in Hong Kong (China). And first appeared in public in March 2016 at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin (Taxas, USA). Until now, this is still considered the most human-like robot with outstanding intelligence.
Sophia was designed in the image of Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn. The head is made of plastic, visually not very human-like, although Sophia's face is made of Frubber, a material that helps achieve the most human-like elastic skin among today's leading robots. Sophia's face has high cheekbones and a slim nose.
Sophia’s mechanical internals give her the ability to make facial expressions and “express emotions.” The robot is equipped with software that stores conversations in memory and gives direct responses in real time.
In particular, the robot Sophia is built to mimic human capacities for love, empathy, anger, jealousy and the feeling of life. It can frown to express sadness, smile to express happiness and even anger.
Until now, the technology world still believes that the robot Sophia is proof that technology can develop strongly to the point of creating artificial intelligence that surpasses human intelligence and control. However, Kriti Sharma - Vice President of AI at payment system provider Sage - believes that the current capabilities of AI are not advanced enough to be called and are still far from reaching the level of intelligence as humans. Machines still cannot have compassion, or many other basic characteristics that make people human.
“Instead of racing to make robots as human-like as possible and giving them social recognition, we need to focus on the aspect: what benefits can AI bring to humanity?” - Dr. Sharma added.
Will AI Robots Replace Humans in the Future?
Many people believe that artificial intelligence (AI) robots can eliminate millions of jobs that have existed as a certainty, and that is what brings fear.
In fact, since 2000, AI robots and automation systems have eliminated about 1.7 million jobs, mostly related to manufacturing. However, it is also predicted that it will create about 1 million new jobs by 2025.
Therefore, the fact that artificial AI robots completely replace humans in the future is still far away and almost impossible to become true when the reality of robots and cobots has shown that.
Lee Kai-fu, an AI expert and CEO of Sinovation Ventures, a venture capital firm, believes that within the next 12 years, 50% of jobs could be automated by AI. “Accountants, factory workers, truck drivers, paralegals, radiologists… will face job disruptions similar to what farmers faced during the industrial revolution.
However, within 12 years of that transition, there will certainly be many new jobs created and besides those who lose their jobs, many people will also find new opportunities.
“AI robots will also create new jobs in the labor market. The problem is that many people have to try to keep up with the trends and constant changes of the future labor market, in which the most important thing is to prepare some skills in the AI era, which can include: Basic mathematics; good verbal and written communication; creativity; management skills; developing thinking with emotional depth; training critical thinking and problem solving suitable for living conditions.
In short, the development of AI, in this case AI robots, can lead to a large reduction in human resources in certain industries. In return, it also creates many job opportunities for those who know how to grasp and continuously develop knowledge and skills related to technology.
According to a report by Acumen Research, the global AI market in the healthcare industry is expected to grow to $8 billion by 2026. Of this, the medical robotics market was valued at $8.307 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $28.34 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 22.18% during the forecast period 2021-2026. The growing demand for precise and appropriate endoscopic surgeries, coupled with a shortage of human resources, an aging population, and pressure on healthcare costs, are the key factors driving the growth of this market.
Dr. Opfermann, who leads the research on autonomous surgical robots at Johns Hopkins University (USA), said: The current results are that in surgeries, 83% of the stitches are performed perfectly by robots. In the future, I believe we can increase this rate to 97%. At that time, the surgeon will no longer have to sit at the control panel but only need to program the surgery, the rest will be taken care of by the autonomous robot. It is not much different from when we sit in a self-driving car, just need to announce the destination and it will take us to the place safely.
Source: https://daidoanket.vn/thoi-cua-cac-the-he-robot-10298629.html
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