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Have you heard of Sophia or Jia Jia? They’re not your typical celebrity figures. They are humanoid robots designed to mimic human appearance and behavior using advanced sensors, actuators, and software. These robot “body parts” allow them to move and interact with the world in a way that resembles human movement.
While some humanoid robots are designed for specific tasks, such as assisting with household chores or medical procedures, others are used for research or entertainment. Developing these robots is an exciting area of research in robotics and artificial intelligence.
In this article, we will explore 5 top humanoid robots you should know about, featuring recent popular examples.
1. Sophia
Let’s begin with Sophia, who debuted on a significant day celebrated globally as Valentine’s Day. Yes, she was unveiled to the public on February 14, 2016, and just a year later, she was granted citizenship by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Sophia is an impressive example of a humanoid robot, designed to resemble and communicate like a human, with emotional facial expressions.
A media favorite, she has been featured on multiple TV shows and has made headlines for her controversial remarks. Still, her latest announcement has stunned the world: Sophia desires to have a robot baby and start her own family.
Inventor: The Hong Kong-based company Hanson Robotics
Launch year: 2016
Height: 167 cm
2. Jia Jia
Meet China’s first humanoid robot, Jia Jia. Her realistic appearance has made her the talk of the town. Jia Jia is equipped with speech-generation algorithms and facial recognition technologies, allowing her to hold a normal conversation with a person while displaying micro facial expressions. With flowing black hair and a traditional Chinese dress, Jia Jia’s appearance is strikingly realistic.
Inventor: The University of Science and Technology research team in China
Launch year: 2016
Height: 152.4 cm
3. Pepper
Meet Pepper. She is from Japan, and she is making waves in the world of customer service. Pepper is designed to interact with people and is often used in retail to assist customers. However, she is not limited to retail – she works in various fields such as homes, shopping malls, educational institutes, offices, etc.
Pepper has various sensors that allow her to navigate her environment and interact with people naturally. She can recognize human emotions through facial expressions and voice tones, which makes her a valuable asset in situations where empathy and understanding are important.
Inventor: SoftBank Robotics
Launch Year: 2014
Height: 121cm
4. Nadine
Nadine, created in the likeness of Professor Nadia Magnenat Thalmann, boasts an impressive 27 degrees of freedom for facial expressions and upper body movements. Not only can she recognize individuals she has met before, but she also retains information about their interests and past interactions.
Nadine is multilingual and can respond to questions in several languages.
She displays emotions through her gestures and facial expressions, responding appropriately to the content of the conversation.
With her ability to act as a personal coach and empathetic nature, Nadine can always offer guidance and support while remembering previous conversations and returning greetings with eye contact.
Inventor: Prof Nadia MagnenatThalman (The face and hands of Nadine are created by a Japanese company Kokoro)
Launch Year: 2013
Height: 131.5 Cm
5. Philip K Dick
David Hanson paid tribute to the renowned sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick by designing a robot using extensive material from the author’s journals, letters, and published works. Sadly, the original Android model was lost during a flight from Dallas to San Francisco in 2005.
However, in collaboration with Dutch broadcasting company VPRO, Hanson Robotics developed a new and improved version in 2011, utilizing cutting-edge computer vision technology and 36 servomotors to facilitate a wide range of complex facial expressions.
Today, the PKD robot is a valuable resource for researchers at the Apollo Mind Initiative.
Inventor: Hanson Robotics
Launch year: 2005
In conclusion, humanoid robots are becoming increasingly prevalent in our daily lives, and these 5 top humanoid robots are just a few examples of the incredible advancements that have been made in this field. As technology continues to evolve, more humanoid robots are being developed and utilized in various settings.
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