In the current technological world, robots have become an integral part of many aspects of life. Whether it’s working in a warehouse or helping around the house, robots will need to be able to interact effectively with humans to complete their tasks. To do this, robots must be able to express some kind of emotion- with a smile, an expression, or even simple LED lights. The American start-up Agility Robotics created their new Digit robot with the intention of making it more human-like. This two legged robot is designed to take over difficult and even dangerous tasks such as handling different weights in warehouses or distribution centers.
Digit can also autonomously complete many repetitive tasks. What sets this robot apart from the others is its inclusion of LED eyes that help to convey emotion and improve the human-robot interactions. Enabling robots to interact with humans in an efficient and harmonious way could ultimately improve both their performance and the productivity of those who work alongside them. Agility is hoping to test out the Digit in a real-world working environment soon.
In addition to the Digit, there are other groundbreaking humanoid robot projects being developed. The start-up Figures recently unveiled an impressive prototype and Boston Dynamics created the famous Atlas, a robot capable of performing many jobs currently done by humans. Xiaomi is currently developing the CyberOne, which could recognize and interact with people using artificial intelligence. Finally, Tesla is also in the works with their own humanoid robot known as Optimus.
The Digit robot created by Agility Robotics is a revolutionary example of the progress being made in the development of robot-human interaction. By making robots more “human” and improving their interactions with people, many tedious and dangerous tasks can be made much more efficient, and even safer. With further developments and tests of advanced robot models, the possibilities of where a robot can be integrated into everyday life are endless.