Renowned Roboticist Rodney Brooks Warns Against Investing in Humanoid Robot Startups
Renowned roboticist Rodney Brooks has a strong message for investors who are pouring billions into humanoid robot startups: your investments may be misguided.
Brooks, the co-founder of iRobot and a former professor at MIT, is particularly skeptical of companies like Tesla and Figure that are attempting to teach robots dexterity by exposing them to videos of humans performing various tasks. In a recent essay, he describes this approach as “pure fantasy thinking.”
The Challenges of Teaching Robots Dexterity
One of the major challenges in teaching robots dexterity is the complexity of human hands. Human hands are equipped with approximately 17,000 specialized touch receptors, a level of sophistication that no current robot can replicate. While machine learning has revolutionized speech recognition and image processing, the same cannot be said for touch data.
The Issue of Safety
Another significant concern with humanoid robots is safety. Full-sized humanoid robots that walk on two legs require a significant amount of energy to maintain balance. In the event of a fall, these robots can pose a serious danger. Brooks highlights the fact that a robot twice the size of current models would generate eight times the amount of harmful energy upon falling.
The Future of Humanoid Robots
Looking ahead, Brooks predicts that successful “humanoid” robots in the future will likely have wheels, multiple arms, and specialized sensors, deviating from the traditional human form. He believes that the current investments in humanoid robot startups are essentially funding costly training experiments that are unlikely to lead to mass production.
Overall, Brooks urges investors to reconsider their support for humanoid robot startups and instead focus on more practical and feasible robotics solutions. By acknowledging the limitations and challenges of humanoid robots, the robotics industry can pave the way for more successful and sustainable innovations in the future.