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With the emergence of robotics and artificial intelligence, robots fascinate as much as they intrigue, raising many questions. Are they going to replace humans? Why are they so expensive? Are they safe to use? In this article, we take a look at the main misconceptions about robots, based on facts and real-life examples.
This is often one of the biggest fears when it comes to the negative effects of robotics. Although some jobs are now automated, robots are not intended to replace humans but to help them in their daily tasks.
Most of the time, robots will carry out repetitive or dangerous tasks so that humans can concentrate on higher value-added tasks..
Service robots play a key role in hotels and restaurants, reducing the number of trips made by staff so that they can spend more time with customers.
In this video, the manager of the Pizza Pub restaurant stresses that the BellaBot is not there to replace the team, but to support them. Thanks to this initiative, the restaurant has even been able to take on extra staff.
The future lies in a balanced collaboration between humans and robots.
Admittedly, technological advances have reduced the cost of some robots, making them more accessible to companies and universities, but their price may seem high for individuals or small businesses.
It is important to note that creating complex robots such as Boston Dynamics’ Spot requires years of research and innovation by specialist engineers, which may justify their high price tag.
On the contrary, beware of robotic brands with tempting price tags, as these robots are often not programmable and intended for the consumer market, purely for entertainment.
With the democratisation of robotics, it’s possible to learn easily and cheaply. Numerous online resources, such as tutorials and courses, mean that anyone can learn, whatever their level.
The Construct online platform offers high-quality courses on ROS and robotics for beginners and experts alike.
On the other hand, many platforms are open source (Poppy, Booster T1, robots from AgileX Robotics, etc.), with a well-developed and very active community, such as the one around Clearpath Robotics.
Large humanoid robots are now arriving on the market, from Boston Dynamics, Xiaomi, Tesla, Unitree Robotics, etc. These robots are now leaving the robotics laboratories to be tested in factories on dangerous, repetitive or tiring tasks.
These humanoid robots are an innovation intended (for the time being) for testing in a real environment or for research projects. They are still at an experimental stage and have not yet reached the same stage of maturity as other robotic platforms such as mobile robots or robotic arms.
Most robots are not autonomous from the outset. They require preparation in order to function effectively:
Network connection, software updates and calibration
However, some robots, such as the Pudu Robotics service robots and the Témi telepresence robot, are close to plug-and-play, with minimal configuration steps to make them accessible to everyone.
People have always been fascinated by, but also suspicious of, robots and AI. The idea that robots are dangerous and uncontrollable often stems from futuristic films and disaster series. On the other hand, there is a fear that these machines will one day outperform us.
Rest assured, thanks to technological advances and safety protocols, most robots today are equipped with collision sensors, obstacle detection systems and safety algorithms that slow the robot down in the event of a problem.
As for artificial intelligence, it is already ubiquitous in our daily lives: social networks, GPS, streaming websites, voice assistants, automatic checkouts, number plate recognition, and so on. It’s important to remember that it was designed above all to maximise the assistance provided to humans.
Although robots do not possess emotions or consciousness like humans, they can simulate emotional interactions thanks to advanced AI technologies. These robots can therefore play an important role in areas such as therapy, education and personal support, while offering social experiences that appear empathetic and human.
The NAO humanoid robot is a “companion” robot designed to interact with people in an empathetic way. Thanks to its sophisticated programming, it is able to identify a person and accompany them on their journeys. It is also able to recognise facial expressions and vocal tones, and react appropriately, expressing joy or sympathy.
It is important to note that Gemini-type AI or ChatGPT, while capable of simulating any type of conversation with humans to perfection, are only AI models that rely on probability calculations combined with access to a gigantic database to generate responses and textual interactions.
