Defining the role of Humanoid Robots

Is this a want, need, or a nope !

High-Involvement Products ?

In my design experience across various industries, from automotive to consumer products, I've realized a common trait: these products are all "high-involvement products." To design successfully in new segments you need to observe customer motivations and brand loyalty, I've seen deep connections between users and their products, similar to tribal societies you have to know the rules of the group. I've always sought to understand the root of customers' motivations, fantasies, fears, and hidden desires.

General Robotics and Humanoid Robots

As I explore new fields like general robotics and humanoid robots, I'm eager to understand the potential relationships between future customers and these emerging technologies. While developers, innovators, and designers are fascinated by advancements in humanoid robots, controversies exist among professionals and the public.

Skepticism and Professional Divides

The public struggles to accept humanoid robots as a norm in their lives, sparking fears and skepticism. Comments like "spooky" or "frightening" arise, leading to concerns about whether companies have military motives rather than positive intentions. The public rarely envisions their lives surrounded by humanoid machines positively.

Professionals are divided. Startups advocate for the reality of their competencies, forecasting large production in just a couple of years. This often feels biased, as technology progresses slowly from prototypes to mass production. It's not guaranteed that it will scaled overnight either. Professionals with years of experience in robotics have witnessed the difficulties in scaling these technologies, even in B2B environments. They argue that videos are often performed in controlled environments, with failed attempts hidden, and that these robots are still far from serial production due to technological limitations like energy density. The killer statement remains: "What will happen when these robots have a failing battery, letting them fall down the stairs, and roll with their 80 kg over your kids?"

learning form other paradigm shifts

Consider the shift in the automotive industry, from electrification to autonomous driving aids (levels 3, 4, and 5). Just as electrification faced the challenge of energy density too, skepticism about electric cars initially came from the industry itself, reluctant to shift from performance combustion engines to new technologies. The public worried about infrastructure, battery range, price, and reinventing the mystique of the man-machine connection. However, these transformations are happening incrementally, the driver's role will change to that of a passenger, altering their desires and expectations.

The Philosophical Questions

This transition is central to understanding the controversy around integrating humanoid robots into our daily lives. The word "robot" comes from the Czech noun "robota," meaning "forced labor," which might explain our discomfort in creating a symbolic role for them in our homes. These questions need gradual answers, as we will face similar reluctancy as in the automotive industry shift. To integrate humanoid robots into our lives within a decade, we must understand our motivations and the relationships humans will build with them.

For pure utility ?

Low product involvement, like public transport, is less emotionally binding. High involvement, like cars and motorcycles, acts as an avatar of oneself. Cars augment the driver with brand, representing the family's standing in the neighborhood.

Horse riding

Consider the parallels between horse riding and motorcycling. Both are "ridden," and motorcyclists in their community gain status similar to knights or cowboys with their horses. So, who will humanoid robots be for us? What status and role will they play? Will we build a human-machine connection, augmenting each other where 1+1 = 3? Or will they be household products, part of a family?

The Role of Humanoid Robots

So, what role will robots play? Will they be the other half of a couple, freeing owners from tasks? Is the aspiration to make this a mass-market treat? Specialized robots fulfilling specific tasks are less emotionally triggering than humanoids challenging the household structure.

The Real Problem

The real problem is our willingness to define a new role in society for almost-human servants. Or shall we focus on the private, personal relationship one wants to build with a machine? is this what we want to build with physical AI, especially in humanoid form? Is it shocking to gift a pet robot to a kid?

Designing New Forms of Relationship

Until we invent new forms of relationship and human-machine interaction with AI discussing the feasibility of the technology and its commercial worth is futile. Finally how many robots each human should own, as technology improvements never stop, almost every human needs will be fulfillable by machines, but is this our desired destiny?

Let's Discuss

Let's discuss this and leave a comment!

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