Hanson Robotics aim to sell thousands of robots, including their new model Grace, this year. Prepare to see a lot more of this humanoid robot this year. (Image credit: Hanson Robotics)
Remember Sophia, the eerie humanoid robot who looked like an escapee from The Terminator franchise? Expect to see a lot more of her this year. Hanson Robotics, the creators of Sophia, plans to mass-produce robots by the end of the year. The Hong Kong company said its factories would start producing four models, including Sophia, in the first half of 2021.
So why now? Because of the pandemic. People are more isolated than ever, thanks to COVID-19. Virtual communication can only go so far when you’re stuck in the house. Not only does the company believe the robots can provide companionship, they think they’ll help keep people safe. “The world of COVID-19 is going to need more and more automation to keep people safe,” founder and chief executive David Hanson said. The robots can be used for various applications, such as healthcare and customer assistance in industries like retail and airlines, according to Hanson.
Social robotics professor Johan Hoorn, whose research involved working with Sophia, believes the pandemic will accelerate the relationship between humans and robots. “I can infer the pandemic will actually help us get robots earlier in the market because people start to realize that there is no other way,” said Hoorn.
And he may be right. Prior to the pandemic, the use of robots was on the rise. The International Federation of Robotics reported an increase of 325 to $11.2 billion for worldwide sales for professional-service robots between 2018 and 2019.
Hanson Robotics aims to sell thousands of robots this year, including its new robot Grace, developed for the healthcare sector. They’re not the only company using robots to fight the pandemic. SoftBank Robotics’ Pepper has been detecting people not wearing facial masks. In China, CloudMinds used a robot-run field hospital to aid during the COVID outbreak in Wuhan.
Robotic use on the rise makes sense during the pandemic. People are stuck at home, cut off from friends and family. In this case, a robot could play a similar role as a pet, albeit a bit creepier. Aside from being a companion, these robots could also provide assistance for the sick and elderly, especially during social distancing now, if they could only find a way to make them less terrifying.
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