If you’re anything like us, you probably can’t wait for the day you can go to the store and easily (and cheaply) buy a robot to clean your house, wait on you and do whatever you want.
We know that day is a long way off, but technology is getting better all the time. In fact, some high-tech companies have already developed some pretty impressive robots that make us feel like the future is here already. These robots aren’t super-intelligent androids or anything – but hey, baby steps.
We’ve rounded up real-life robots you can check out right now, with the purpose of getting you excited for the robots of tomorrow.
A bird-legged drone
Stanford engineers have developed a new robot with features inspired by a bird that include claws, curling toes and bendable legs.
The published research shows a bot that’s able to land like a bird on branches and other surfaces. This will certainly make it easier for future drones and robots to land. And in more places too.
Robear
Robear is a high-tech teddy designed to lift an elderly patient from a bed into a wheelchair.
It comes from Toshiharu Mukai, a scientist who leads the Robot Sensor Systems Research Team at the Riken-SRK Collaboration Center for Human-Interactive Robot Research. Robear is the team’s third robot bear.
Henn na Hotel
A hotel in southwestern Japan, called Weird Hotel, is staffed almost totally by robots to save labor costs.
The hotel is called Henn na Hotel in Japanese and was shown to reporters, complete with robot demonstrations. One feature demoed was the use of facial recognition instead of e-keys during check-in. An interesting view of the future?
Sofia
Sofia is a humanoid-like robot that’s capable of holding a conversation. This robot has appeared in several high-profile interviews and appearances – including a spot on the Jimmy Fallon show.
Sofia is also unusual in that she’s been given official citizenship in Saudi Arabia and the United Nations title of “Innovation Champion”.
RoBoHon
RoBoHon is a smartphone disguised as a robot. The little robot works as a normal phone, with a screen for a belly, but also does more.
The bot can move and talk for call alerts and more. It even has a projector in its face so it can lean forward and project larger images on surfaces. This could be useful for viewing photos, following a recipe or simply as a novel hands-free option.
Starship Technologies
Starship Technologies developed this local delivery robot designed to quickly deliver parcels and post within a two-mile radius.
This wheeled self-driving delivery bot is an interesting alternative delivery drones. Will the future be void of delivery people but a buzz with wheeled and flying delivery bots?
Kuratas
The robot is called Kuratas and looks like something out of Hollywood. It is 3.8 metres tall, weighs 5 tons, and features a BB Gatling gun that can pump out 6,000 rounds per minute. Additionally, it’s also been in development for several years.
