The latest advice document in a range of guidelines for those looking to get up to speed on new and emerging technologies has been released, offering insights into sophisticated robots
Policy professionals across government have been equipped with a guide to “humanoid” technologies.
The three-page overview is the latest addition to government’s collection of ‘rapid technology assessment’ (RTA) guidance documents, which are intended to offer “accessible introductions to different technology areas for policymakers, aiming to support government departments to make better strategic decisions on science and technology”.
According to the introduction to the guidelines, “humanoid robots resemble humans, typically with two arms, a torso, and a head, [and] can be legged, static, or wheeled. These robots vary in abilities and serve many purposes”.
The RTA adds that, while the technology in question has “been in development for decades”, there has been “increasing attention in the 2020s, spurred on by industry activity and the potential impact of advances in AI”.
“The ultimate ambition is a general-purpose humanoid robot that can function in the dynamic and unpredictable environments in which humans excel,” the guidance adds.
Humanoids “are already used in some sectors, largely as immobile information points (e.g. as a receptionist) or novelty”, policymakers are advised. There are also more advanced models whose use is “being trialled in highly structured environments such as factories or warehouses”.
The assessment says: “In the future, highly capable, mobile, dexterous and autonomous humanoid robots have potential applications across most areas of the economy and society.”
Government claims that the UK’s is the world’s leading country for the quality of research on humanoid technology’s and the seventh-largest manufacturer of models. It costs from about £25,000 up to £115,000 to construct a single humanoid. Other countries that are cited as leaders in the field include China, the US, Japan, South Korea, and Canada.
Examining further potential future applications, the document advises that “although some experts believe we will see highly capable and general-purpose humanoid robots in the 2020s, there still remains significant uncertainty and divergent opinions across both industry and academia, [and] settings and tasks that require greater dexterity, mobility and autonomy are more uncertain”.
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The document concludes with a round-up of the biggest opportunities and challenges presented by the technology.
The upsides include “productivity and safety improvements… particularly in sectors facing labour or skills shortages”.
Although, once again, it is cautioned that “there is substantial uncertainty about how businesses and the public would respond to humanoid robots and whether they could offer substantially better value for money than alternative automation solutions”.
Another potential advantage is that the possibility of “leveraging UK strengths in robotics and autonomous systems R&D to develop specialised components or software for design or deployment of humanoid robots”.
Alongside these opportunities is a longer list of prospective challenges, beginning with “high levels of technological uncertainty”, alongside the fact that “public acceptance of humanoids is highly uncertain and is expected to vary depending on the robot design, application, and features”.
The document also notes that, in order for the benefits to be achieved, “safety and standards are key to ensuring that the use of humanoid robots does not cause harm to humans in public and private settings”.
Finally, the RTA suggests that the challenges could extend to broad “societal implications”.
“Widespread adoption of humanoid robots could have significant impacts on different parts of society,” it concludes. “There are outstanding questions as to how to ensure their use is acceptable to society, ethical, and does not exacerbate inequalities or present privacy challenges.”
Published by the Government Office for Science, the first set of six rapid assessments was released in March 2023, covering topics such as artificial intelligence, digital twins, and 4D printing. After a gap of almost two years, a further seven guides have been released since the start of last month. Alongside humanoids, RTAs addressing the likes robotics, metamaterials, and neurotechnology are now also available.
