There's nothing better at CES than discovering a robot on the show floor.
Seriously, robots are cool. They are fun. And thanks to the newly released "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story", public sentiment towards droids is off the charts.
Robots
have primarily been used as marketing gimmicks or demonstration props
at previous shows. That, says IHS analyst Dinesh Kithany, is set to
change.
"What we will see is more from the application point of
view," Kithany said. Companies will be looking to explore what consumers
can do with a robot, although the robots themselves, he added, will
likely be "in the concept stages."
Robots for consumers typically come in one of
three categories. One group is service robots, like the Roomba vacuum
and pool-cleaning bots, that perform specific tasks. Then there are
social robots, like Pepper or Sanbot
that have humanoid features play games and nag you to do everyday
chores, like brush your teeth. Fully humanoid robots sit at the top of
the heap and are being readied to perform care and nursing functions,
such as the picking people up to help them maintain autonomy and stay in
their own homes if they are elderly or injured.
The tech might
still be at a nascent stage, but it's expected to take off. Shipments of
home robots are set to grow from around 5 million units in 2015 to 13
million units in 2020, according to IHS's Service Robots & Drones
report 2016.
Better AI means better robots
Behind any good robot is good AI. And we seen some impressive leaps forward over the past year, including Go-playing algorithms and Jarvis, Mark Zuckerberg's smart home AI butler. It's going to make robots a whole lot more appealing.
Smart assistants have come along way too and, thanks to the likes of Amazon Echo and Google Home, are now more than just voices on our phones. They are precursors to what we can expect to see in consumer robotics.
In one CES panel,
a number of robotics experts are set to discuss how improvements in
artificial intelligence will help robots become more useful in everyday
life. And, of course, evidence of some such improvements will be on
show.
"We're showcasing some advanced AI technology to demonstrate
that AI is a reality and available to consumers for everyday
communication and entertainment," said John Rhee, general manager of
UBTECH Robotics, which is set to show make several announcements
regarding its future robotics range.
Similarly, Austrian company Robart will use CES to show the off its autonomous navigation software for household robots.
The
system, designed for service robots, will allow bots to "recognize
their surroundings and communicate intuitively with the user," CEO
Michael Schahpar says. "They will learn ever better and adapt to
changing surroundings."
Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute
is also set demonstrate some essential robotic skills involving
computer vision at the show. Researchers will show how a robot is able
to distinguish between various chess pieces and their locations on the
board, as well as between various coffee cups, their locations and fill
levels.
Descending into uncanny valley
Hanson Robotics,
the maker of realistic humanoid robots that feature a flexible,
responsive skin called "frubber," is a company we'll keep a close eye on
at CES. A company spokesman says customers are keen to get hold of
humanoid robots like Hanson's, which have lifelike facial movements.
Earlier this year Hanson showed off its Sophia robot, which is capable of performing a full range of human facial expressions. At CES, Hanson is due to give its very first public demonstration of its Professor Einstein robot.
Others are similarly optimistic about this robot form factor.
"2017
is the year in which we will begin to see humanoid robots become home
companions," said UBTECH's Rhee. His company is responsible for creating
Alpha 2, a short humanoid social robot designed to make household life easier by setting reminders and controlling smarthome devices like lights and locks.
A well-rounded smart pal for your smart home?
 |
| Jimu robots |
If you're hoping you'll find the ultimate robot butler or a reprogrammed KX-Series security drone -- it's a "Star Wars" thing and we're really into "Star Wars" -- at CES, 2017 probably won't be your year.
Still, you can expect to see a host of new consumer robots focused on
entertainment and education, especially for teaching kids to code. New
designs of UBTECH's Jimu robots that offer the familiar snap-together programmable creatures but with increased mobility, being one example.
We'll also likely see a number of companies
showcasing hardware and software brought together by AI. These projects
will give us a glimpse of the skills future robots might have and that
could persuade people to think about bringing one home.
At the very least, we'll find some cute bots to dream about.
Source : Cnet
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