What the most amazing humanoid robots of the XXI century can do. The latest achievements of world robotics were shown in Beijing

Robotic systems continue to evolve and are gradually penetrating many, very diverse areas of human life, such as manufacturing, medicine, remote reconnaissance, as well as the fields of entertainment, security and personal care. Currently, Japanese developers are creating robots to help the elderly, while NASA is developing a new generation of space explorers and artists are exploring new possibilities in the field of entertainment.

Collected in today's collection of photographs of robots created in the recent past, perhaps, will allow us to look into our near future.

(32 photos total)

1) The Twendy-One robot demonstrates its ability to handle fragile objects by fixing a plastic straw in its fingers. The robot was developed by scientists at Waseda University in Tokyo as an assistant for the elderly. (AP Photo / Shizuo Kambayashi)

2) The LEMUR model robot is being developed by NASA as a repair robot for equipment in outer space. The photo shows an enlarged version of the Lemur IIa working with a scaled model of a segmented telescope. (NASA / Planetary Robotics Laboratory)

3) Surgeons perform a hernia surgery using the da Vinci robot at the University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland. The robotic surgery department was opened there in 2008. (AP Photo / Keystone, Salvatore Di Nolfi)

4) Spanish King Juan Carlo and Queen Sofia, as well as Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko watch the HAL robotic suit, capable of lifting loads up to 30 kg, in action at the University of Tsukuba, Japan. (KATSUMI KASAHARA / AFP / Getty Images)

5) Humanoid robots model Wakamaru Momoko (right) and Takeo (left) take part in the first ever production of a robotic-human experimental theater at the University of Osaka, Japan. (YOSHIKAZU TSUNO / AFP / Getty Images)

6) A sapper robot places an explosive device next to a suspicious box during a demonstration given by developers at a conference in Cam Lemonnier, Djibouti. (Defense Dept. photo by Cherie A. Thurlby)

7) German Chancellor Angela Merkel poses next to the Bruno robot at the exhibition stand of the Darmstadt University of Technology during the third national summit on information technology November 20, 2008. (REUTERS / Alex Grimm)

8) A rescue robot from the Tokyo Fire Department loads a "victim" during an anti-terrorist exercise. Eleven organizations were involved in the exercises, incl. Tokyo Police Department. (TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA / AFP / Getty Images)

9) RoboLobster biomimetic underwater robot, developed by Professor Joseph Ayers. RoboLobster is designed to detect changes in the state of sea water, as well as to neutralize underwater mines. (Robert Spencer)

10) ATHLETE robots in the desert in the Dumont Dunes, USA. They are being developed by NASA for use on the Moon, where they will move on wheels on level ground and "walk" on rough terrain. (NASA)

11) Close-up: a robot developed by Toyota Motor Corporation. (REUTERS / Michael Caronna)

12) Milton Hospital urologist Dr. Clifford Gluck at the da Vinci Surgical Control Panel in Milton, Massachusetts. (Boston Globe / Milton Hospital)

13) Japanese Minister of Health Yoichi Masuzoe demonstrates the work of the robot My Spoon, which is designed to help people with disabilities. The robot is controlled by a joystick and allows food to be eaten using the jaw, arm and legs. (AFP PHOTO / JIJI PRESS)

14) Robots developed by Toyota Motor Corporation play musical instruments in the company's showroom. (REUTERS / Toru Hanai)

15) A remote-controlled T-34 security robot immobilizes an "intruder" at an exhibition held in January 2009 in Tokyo. The robot transmits a video image to the operator, and can be controlled using a mobile phone. (REUTERS / Kim Kyung-Hoon)

16) Chinese farmer Wu Yulu rides a cart pulled by a robot rickshaw of his own making. Wu Yulu began assembling robots in 1986 using wires, metal, screws and nails from a landfill as parts. (REUTERS / Reinhard Krause)

17) The Berti robot shakes a human hand on display at the Science History Museum in London. This humanoid robot was created specifically to mimic human gestures. (AP Photo / Kirsty Wigglesworth) #

18) Experimental research robot K-10 "Red" in tests conducted by NASA in the area of ​​Lake Moses Lake, Washington. (NASA / Ames Research Center)

19) Thai and American soldiers watch the "Big Dog" robot in action as Cobra Gold opens in Thailand on February 4, 2009. (AP Photo / Apichart Weerawong)

20) Visitors to CeBIT 2009 in Hanover, Germany watch Justin's Rollin "robot brew tea. (RONNY HARTMANN / AFP / Getty Images) #

21) A British Marine poses next to the Testudo autonomous wheeled robot. (REUTERS / Luke MacGregor)

22) Clara Wu, a distribution specialist, oversees the operation of the Mr.Incredible robot in the company's Massachusetts office. Mr.Incredible is a second generation robot prototype designed for work in greenhouses, in particular for carrying potted plants. (Ellen Harasimowicz for The Boston Globe)

23) Tyrannosaurus Rex bipedal robot on display at the Digital Content Expo in Tokyo, Japan. (Koichi Kamoshida / Getty Images)

24) A student at Tokyo University of Technology demonstrates a prototype of the "bino3" security robot. The robot has four "eyes": two wide-angle stereo cameras and two tele-photo-stereo cameras, which allow you to clearly track the movement of the object of observation. (AFP PHOTO / Yoshikazu TSUNO)

25) Vince Martinelli, manager of Kiva Systems, checks the shelves of "goods" that are being brought in by robots during a warehouse automation demonstration. (Josh Reynolds for The Boston Globe)

26) Matthew Fischer from Hanson Robotics, a manufacturer of "distinctive" robots, demonstrates a synthetic face, showing how easily the expression of a human face changes. (David L. Ryan / Boston Globe)

27) A Talon 3B robot approaches a mine buried in a sand dune during a training exercise in Djibouti, Africa. US Navy sappers control the robot from a safe distance using monitors and video equipment mounted on the robot. (DoD photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Robert R. McRill, U.S. Navy)

28) Paro robotic seals are powered by electricity at Robo Japan 2008 in Yokohama. Paro robots, costing about $ 3.5 thousand each, are made in the form of baby seals. Special sensors are located under their fur. If you pet Paro, it makes rumbling sounds. These robots are designed to calm patients in hospitals and clinics. (AP Photo / Itsuo Inouye)

29) Industrial robots at the Iranian Khodro automobile plant are involved in the production of a Samand automobile. (BEHROUZ MEHRI / AFP / Getty Images)

30) MSI's Rich Robot walks the garden path at the Grand Hills Exhibition Center in Taipei, Taiwan. (REUTERS / Nicky Loh (TAIWAN)

31) Intel CEO Craig Barrett, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and German Chancellor Angela Merkel stand next to a mechanical arm at the CeBIT opening ceremony in Hanover, March 2, 2009. Representatives of Russian companies were seen (NIGEL TREBLIN / AFP / Getty Images)

32) NASA MSL rover during assembly in August 2008. Arm, mast, laboratory instruments and other equipment have not yet been installed. The rover has six wheels with a diameter of half a meter. The deck is located at a height of 1.1 m. Tests of the MSL rover are scheduled for 2011. (NASA / JPL-Caltech)

21st century technology is everywhere. We shared life with robots. Take at least a television studio, if you look at it from a different angle: here they are - robotic cameras, following the news. This is today. And what it will be like tomorrow is shown now in Beijing.

A melody for robots with an orchestra - you can't even say that it turned out soullessly. At the robotics exhibition in Beijing, they recite poetry, sing and dance.

There is a real boom in robotic servants in China. To wash the floors, feed the dog - they have been able to do this for a long time. Now the main thing is to teach robots to be the owner's personal assistant. Order dinner at a restaurant, check the temperature in the house, find out if the library next door has the right book, and even teach your child to read!

“The robot is constantly connected to the Internet and can remember the tastes and preferences of the whole family. When you come home, your robot says: a new episode of your favorite TV series has come out, do you want to watch it? ”Said Yao Zhi, director of a service robot company.

The same machines are proposed to replace employees in banks and government agencies, and in shops and cafes to get rid of all waiters and sellers - instead of them robots will stand behind the counter.

Here they are sure that this is exactly what the bar of the future looks like: there are no people. On the display you can choose your drink: add ice, lemon. Shake but do not mix. And in a minute you get a glass with a drink - quickly and conveniently. The only pity is that there is no one to talk to.

The robot policeman definitely does not intend to enter into the discussion. Strong tracks, and on top of a night vision camera - ready for dangerous business trips, it's good that at least not armed. In general, drones are everywhere: on the ground, in the air and in the water. For example, a shark is one of its own among strangers. She will quietly map the underwater landscape or study marine life. And there are smaller fish.

If you dream of seeing the seabed, but are afraid to dive - then this robot fish is for you. She can descend to a depth of 30 meters and take photos and videos there. It is easily operated using a smartphone. Here are robots for all occasions: it is easy to perform a brain operation or "change" a car!

“In our workshop, a person will not lift anything heavier than a wrench. And, for example, it will take no more than 15 minutes to change tires, ”said Zhang Xuiguang, manager of an industrial robot company.

Robots can do anything. It's interesting to watch their work, but it's cold on the skin when you understand: not only we are watching them, but they are also watching us. The face recognition system has long been a reality. It is used in many cities in China. Robots don't just follow people. They are able to determine height, weight, gender, age. And some also determine the level of intelligence, as they say, by eye. But fear not, as long as this is just an experiment. Moreover, there is no lower than 80%, and is intelligence written on the face?

Other robots do not shine with intelligence, but in the factory they have no equal. According to statistics in the world, every third such robot receives a residence permit in China. And soon in factories and factories you will not hear the voice of a person - only the quiet hum of motors.

To conduct a military operation in Iraq, the US army for the first time attracted unmanned combat mechanisms - military robots - as tactical units. These were small tracked vehicles remotely controlled by the operator.

Damn lumpy

Three Talon robots were sent into battle with the SWORDS (Special Weapons Observation Reconnaissance Detection Systems) combat system and with weapons - M249 machine guns. The matter did not come to the real combat use of robots: the installed weapon moved spontaneously without the participation of the operator. This "behavior" of robots created a real threat to the safety of American soldiers, so the weapon control modules were disabled and the robots were used only as scouts.

Despite this embarrassment, the experience of combat use was recognized as successful and, moreover, it actually launched a "technology race" to create military robots in many countries of the world. Having such a “fighter” in the troops who can fight instead of people, carry various types of weapons and at the same time not demand money for work - this looked very promising for the defense industry enterprises of the USA, NATO countries, Israel, Iran, China and Japan.

We were the first

The idea of ​​an unmanned combat vehicle is not new. Back in 1933, the Soviet Union tested the remotely controlled TT-18 tank. The tank under the control of the operator could move at a distance of up to 1.5 km. The first tests were not very successful, in contrast to the experiments with the TT-26, which was produced in a small series of 55 units.

The TT-26 were armed with DT machine guns, 45 mm cannons, and some had flamethrowers, explosives and chemical weapons in their arsenal. The TT-26 was baptized by fire during the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940. The most effective variant turned out to be the TT-26 with a bomb weighing 500 kg, which made it possible to destroy pillboxes on the Mannerheim Line.

The TT-26 control system was based on electromechanical relays, the actions of which were controlled by the operator via radio commands. 16 commands were brought up to the control buttons, responsible for starting the engine, movement, maneuver and the use of weapons. If the TT-26 left the radio control zone, after 30 seconds the tank stopped and with the engine running, it waited for the operator to approach.

The disadvantage of the TT-26 was the inability to respond to changes in the situation on the battlefield. The tank could not react to anti-tank guns in ambush and anti-tank mines, it was difficult for them to control in hilly terrain. Therefore, after the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, our successful, in principle, experience was forgotten for a long time. And again they remembered about him only in the XXI century.

Classification of fighting robots

Today, combat robots are being developed for use in any environment (air, land and sea) and can perform various tasks: from reconnaissance to fire suppression tasks. The leading developer is the United States, but Russia, which entered the "race of robotic technologies" later than other industrialized countries, has recently advanced quite far in the field of combat.

As an express analysis of the state of technology in military robotics, let us consider these two powers, since they reflect not only different approach to the concept of "combat robot", but also have unique developments.

In world practice, the weight grading of robots is accepted. The robots are divided into three groups by weight. Light - with a combat weight of up to 3.32 tons, medium - from 3.32 to 13 tons, and heavy - over 13 tons.

Taking this gradation as a basis, all further classification of robots, types of tasks performed and ongoing work on them can be summarized in one table:

As can be seen from the table, the United States has extensive experience in all types and types of robots. The most developed class is airborne drones. They are in service with the US Army over 7,500 units. At the same time, Russia, despite the fact that its fleet of robots is still small, has practical developments of land and underwater robots, some of which have been combat tested in real combat operations in Syria.

First of all, we are talking about ground-based robots "Argo" and "Platform-M". With their help, on December 20, 2015, Syrian troops managed to take the Syriatel tower at a strategically important height of 754.5 in the province of Latakia. The attack involved six "Platform-M" complexes and four "Argo" robots with the support of artillery and soldiers of the Syrian army. After a hot but short battle at the taken height, almost 70 jihadists were counted, and only four fighters were wounded in the Syrian soldiers.

What are these robots?

Platform-M was created at NITI Progress (Izhevsk). The armored robot on a tracked chassis is armed with four AGS-30 grenade launchers and a Kalashnikov machine gun. Instead of grenade launchers, it can be equipped with ATGM "Kornet", that is, if necessary, the robot can fight against enemy armored vehicles. In addition, "Platform-M" can carry out reconnaissance with the help of an optical-electronic reconnaissance complex, patrol the territory, provide passage through a minefield and mine the terrain with the help of the KTPN-3 minelayer.

Combat robotic complex "Argo" was developed at the Central Research Institute of Robotics and Technical Cybernetics (St. Petersburg). It is designed for reconnaissance, as well as for fire support of amphibious assault from the sea and on land. In addition, the robot can carry out reconnaissance of the coast, ensure the delivery of ammunition and cargo. The Argo is armed with a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun, three RPG-26 anti-tank grenade launchers, and two RShG-2 grenade launchers.

The Russian army also has the Nerekhta robot and the Uran-6 engineering robot, which was tested in Syria during the demining of the city of Palmyra. Robots MRK, Soratnik and Uran-9 are being tested. In addition, research and development work (R&D) is being carried out on robotization of the T-14 Armata tank and on the Vikhr reconnaissance and strike complex, developed on the basis of the BMP-3.

"Inhuman" robots are destroying civilians

Unlike the Americans, all of our combat robots are operated by an operator. This approach is not due to technological backwardness, as some incompetent commentators claim, but to the demands of modern combined arms combat.

Despite all its combat power and efficiency, the robot does not know how to do many things autonomously. It does not have artificial intelligence on board that clones the analytical and physical abilities of a person. The capabilities of computing systems are limited not only by the number of tasks performed, but also by cost parameters. If a robot becomes more expensive than a tank, then the value of accepting it for supplying troops loses its meaning.

During a battle, a robot cannot, without human help, repair damage to the chassis, change weapons and refuel, assess the terrain and the depth of water obstacles. Therefore, in our army, robots perform only auxiliary functions in fire support, reconnaissance and target designation, transportation and evacuation.

And in the United States, they have long been trying to create robots that could perform combat missions autonomously, without human intervention. They have achieved limited success in the creation of unmanned aerial reconnaissance systems. But with the advent of electronic warfare equipment capable of intercepting, they were forced to return to control with the participation of a person.

Now in the United States, R&D work is underway to create partially autonomous combat systems. Some drones with varying degrees of autonomy have been tested in combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. In most cases, "partial autonomy" led to the failure of combat operations. For example, the shock-reconnaissance MQ-9 Reaper instead of military targets destroyed civilians and civilian objects.

TOP 5 fighting robots

RQ-4 Global Hawk (USA). The largest strategic reconnaissance UAV (length - 13.3 m, wingspan - 35 m, takeoff weight - about 15 tons). It can carry out reconnaissance for 30 hours at an altitude of 18 km, covering a distance of up to 14,000 km at a cruising speed of 575 km / h. He carries on board almost a ton (900 kg) of reconnaissance equipment for optical, RTR and radar reconnaissance. The cost of the program for the development of a strategic reconnaissance aircraft was $ 13.7 billion, the cost of one RQ-4 is $ 140 million.

PD-100 Black Hornet (Norway). The smallest spy robot created by Prox Dynamics. Basically, it is a miniature helicopter that carries three tiny video cameras and transmits the captured image online. With a length of about 10 cm and a width of 2.5 cm, it can fly at speeds up to 10 m / s for 25 minutes at a distance of up to 1 km. UAVs are indispensable in urban combat, so this "baby" was taken into their arsenal by the special forces of the United States and Great Britain.

Uranium-9 (Russia). Multifunctional combat robot "Uran-9" is designed to perform reconnaissance and fire support tasks. Similar to a small infantry fighting vehicle with a turret, it is capable of carrying various weapons: a 30-mm automatic cannon 2A72 and a PKT paired with it, missile armament of the ATGM 9M120 "Attack" and MANPADS 9K38 "Igla", as well as a jet flamethrower "Shmel-M".

Robot boat ACTUV (USA). The Anti-Submarine Warfare Continous Trail Unmanned Vessel is undergoing operational testing by the US Navy. The 40-meter trimaran, weighing 140 tons, of which 40 tons is fuel, was created for tracking submarines and is capable of accelerating to 27 knots (50 km / h). The cruising range is up to 6,000 km, the sailing autonomy is up to 80 days, the cost is about $ 20 million. The United States hopes that this robotic boat will be able to track stealth submarines similar to the Russian project 636.3 Varshavyanka or 885 Ash at depths of up to 200 m and transmit data about them to anti-submarine ships and submarine hunter planes.

Poseidon (Russia). No sooner had the champagne dried out of the bottle smashed against the side of the ACTUV robot boat, when the world's first deep-sea drone Poseidon was created in Russia, unlimited in range and exceeding all ships in multiples of speed. For the first time, this apparatus with a nuclear power plant and a nuclear warhead was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 1, 2018. The Poseidon makes its unlimited high-speed passage at depths of up to 1000 m. At such a depth ACTUV is unable to detect it. And the Poseidon, carrying a megaton-class nuclear warhead, can destroy not only a naval base, but also the largest warship - an aircraft carrier.

Today robots are increasingly being introduced into various fields of human activity, helping to explore space, improve medicine, science, production, military equipment, etc. Let's talk about some of them:

1. One of the most indispensable assistants in the disposal of explosives are sapper robots. Here is one of them, carrying a suspicious backpack, which is believed to contain an improvised explosive device. State of New Mexico, 06/20/2012

2. This is how the camera of the Curiosity rover looks like, which successfully "paraded" in Gale Crater on August 6 this year.

3. A panorama of Mars taken by a "curious" robot.

4. "Rex" - an exoskeleton robot. With its help, wheelchair users, including completely paralyzed people, can stand and walk without assistance. In the photo - Sophie, paralyzed after a car accident in which she got in 2003. London, England, 19.09.2012

An exoskeleton is a device that allows you to increase the strength of a person due to the external frame, repeating the biomechanics of a person.

5. An American warrant officer launches an unmanned aerial vehicle (also called a "drone") in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, 06/25/2012.

6. A robot designed for diving under the Antarctic ice. With its help, scientists from eight countries created the world's first three-dimensional map of the under-ice surface of Antarctica, and also measured the thickness of the ice "shell". All of this research will help scientists study the impact of global climate change on Antarctica.

7. This is the LS3 robot created at the US Department of Defense Research Center. An artiodactyl-like robot designed for American soldiers to transport heavy equipment and cargo around the area. State of Virginia, USA, 09/10/2012

8. A prototype of the Wall-Ye robot, developed for pruning vines, under the control of its creator, French engineer Christophe Millot. V automatic device built-in six webcams, GPS-navigator, it has two metal claws, is able to check the quality of the grapes and the soil on which it grows. France, 12.10.2012

9. A nearly 2-meter robot tire changer created from parts by a 49-year-old electric bike mechanic to work in his workshop in Shenyang. The robot moves independently and inflates tires. Liaoning Province, China, 06/25/2012

10. Robots are not only for work, but also for recreation and entertainment, as, for example, these dancing robots, presented at the CeBIT exhibition in Hannover, Germany, 05.03.2012.

11. Another drone (unmanned aerial vehicle), which was created by a French company to work in the fire department: the robot monitors the occurrence of fires in real time. Mont de Marsan, France, 12.07.2012

12. Another resting robot. He sits in front of Buddhist monks at a ceremony to mark the 2600th anniversary of Buddha's enlightenment. Bangkok, 19.06.2012

13. Test Robot - "smokes" cigarettes produced at the Philip Morris factory. Czech Republic, 28.08.2012

14. The robot beetle Kabutom RX-03, created by a Japanese engineer. This 11-meter, 17-ton, 6-legged monster, from whose nose, like a dragon, eerily blows smoke, was presented at a festival in Tokyo on 08/26/2012.

15. Robot dummy, developed at an Estonian university. It is intended for "virtual" fitting for users of online stores, which do not have the opportunity to try on purchased clothes. This robot can not only instantly "lose weight" or "gain weight", but also "change" sex, imitating completely different types physique and being able to "take shape" about 100 thousand different options. 27.03.2012

16. Another type of sapper robots. This one clears ammunition in Afghanistan, 01.08.2012.

17. Humanoid humanoid robot. The name of this "girl" is MIIM or HRP-4C. She sings and dances well. Tokyo, 09.10.2012

18. Dancing robots at the robot competition in Seoul, South Korea, 10/17/2012.

19. This is a sample of the long-range high-altitude unmanned reconnaissance aircraft Boeing Phantom Eye, powered by hydrogen fuel. The drone is being developed at Phantom Works - a classified division of Boeing - commissioned by the US military. According to some information, the scout can fly continuously for 96 hours (four days).

20. This is a robot "Obelix", which was tasked with independently driving along a given route (more than 4 kilometers), overcoming obstacles, turns and bypassing people. The machine completed the task in almost 100 minutes. Freiburg, Germany, 21.08.2012

21. Robots-octopuses - as they were named by the developers from the University of Pisa. The robots are the prototypes of two bionic arms designed to overcome various challenging obstacles. Italy, 17.07.2012

22. A firefighter robot being tested at the naval research laboratory in Washington, USA.

23. An unmanned civilian helicopter Kaman K-MAX ("flying crane"), designed to transport cargo weighing up to 2.7 tons over a distance of 500 km at a maximum speed of 185 km / h. Helmand Province, Afghanistan, 13.10.2012

24. The dart frog robot, developed by the Chinese University in Hong Kong, has a camera. Climbing trees almost like a caterpillar, he checks the health of trees instead of people. It weighs only one kilogram. 06/20/2011

25. A sapper robot at work. Photo taken during a South Korean special forces exercise west of Seoul at Incheon International Airport, 02/29/2012.

26. A humanoid robot Geminoid F gets makeup on the eve of the Robots in Motion 2012 exhibition in Hong Kong from March 29th to April 15th. 28.03.2012

27. A sapper robot developed by a private inventor from Uganda. As the inventor himself says, the robot can detect and defuse an improvised explosive device. 06.06.2012

28. Soft-bodied robot in the shape of a starfish, developed by scientists at Harvard University. Can be used to penetrate tight spaces. In the photo, the robot crawls through a 19 mm gap.

29. Unmanned autonomous vessel Common Unmanned Surface Vessel, created by Textron, New Orleans. Designed for patrolling, reconnaissance and even some strike operations. 12.04.2012

This week, the world was thrilled by the news of the appearance of Henry - the first in the world... The development belongs to the company Realbotix, which specializes in the production of advanced sex dolls. Their assortment includes a large collection of humanoid toys, the appearance and character of which can be customized at the request of the client.

In addition to a silicone penis, a cute appearance and a muscular torso, the engineers trained Henry's artificial intelligence to read poetry and joke.

“He can listen to you, remember everything you said, but he can't take out the trash or fix the faucet yet,” admits Realbotix CEO Matt McMullen in a comment for The Times.

The cost of a Realbotix smart doll starts at $ 10,000, but depends on the specification. So, for an additional fee, the robotic lover can change the color of his hair and eyes, skin tone or accent. If Henry's silicone press cubes aren't impressive, Realist has compiled a list of even more amazing devices working hard for the good of humanity.

Rescue Robot Atlas

While Atlas does not have a torso and an attractive appearance, he can already be called the most mobile humanoid robot in the world. The ease and realism with which he performs complex athletic tricks impresses much more than a talking sex doll.

Boston Dynamics, with financial support from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), has built Atlas for search and rescue operations. It can navigate rough terrain and overcome obstacles using range sensors, stereo vision and other sensors.

An updated version of ATLAS Unplugged was released in 2015 and is equipped with features that, according to the developers, were almost 75% different from the original ATLAS. The modern version of the robot can quickly climb stairs, do back flips and deftly jump from one platform to another.

Companion robot

Henry's sex doll may be useful, but it is hardly more responsive and understanding than the Pepper companion robot, built by Japanese company SoftBank Robotics. The device's artificial intelligence is trained to recognize primary human emotions (anger, joy, or sadness) and respond accordingly. So, thanks to computer vision and speech recognition systems, Pepper can interpret facial expressions, tone of voice and other non-verbal signals, responding to people in a coherent and respectful way.

Numerous sensors allow the robot to quickly recognize the faces of people it has encountered, remember their preferences, help place an order, or conduct simple consultations. Pepper is currently serving as an administrator in several UK offices, working in banks and healthcare facilities in Japan, and entertaining customers at 400 Hamazushi restaurants in Japan.

In 2017, an international team of scientists undertook to modify Pepper to help care for the elderly in nursing homes. The project received $ 2.55 million in funding from the European Union and the Japanese government. It is expected that the world will be able to get acquainted with its results already in 2019.

Subject Robot

Petman is another brainchild of Boston Dynamics, funded by the US Department of Defense. The main task of the development is to serve as an active dummy for testing perfect protective suits that could serve people in the event of chemical or biological warfare.

Under the Petman suit is a robotic skeleton and many sensors that can detect leaks, monitor the microclimate and even artificially sweat (after all, a protective suit must be not only reliable, but also comfortable).

Petman is the fastest two-legged robot today, developing maximum speed walking about 7 km / h. In addition, he can crawl, squat and perform other dynamic movements.

Boston Dynamics says the Petman can also be used for other emergency missions such as search and rescue operations in fire, radiation or other hazardous conditions.

Ocean One Diving Robot

Ocean One created robotics at the Stanford Laboratory to work at depths beyond the reach of most people. In addition to artificial intelligence and stereoscopic vision, it is equipped with a tactile feedback which allows scientists.

Unlike other large and bulky remote-controlled robots, it has an anthropomorphic design, making it highly maneuverable and tidy. So, in 20 016 in the Mediterranean Sea Ocean One sank to a depth of 100 m and examined the wreckage of La Lune, the flagship of Louis XIV, which sank off the southern coast of France in 1664.

The archaeological expedition was Ocean One's first, but its astonishing success suggests that one day the robot will be able to perform highly skilled tasks underwater that are too dangerous for divers.

But what about the robot Sophia?

This rating would be incomplete without by Hanson Robotics, but not at all because of its technological excellence. In fact, Sofia is not much different from Henry's sex doll, and although she was represented at the UN, received Saudi Arabian citizenship and was kind to the Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groisman, her functionality is limited. Being connected to the Internet, Sofia can pick up answers to questions from cloud storage... So far, she does not do it very quickly, because at official meetings she works in interview mode, voicing pre-written answers.

However, it would also be wrong to devalue Sophia. It differs from other humanoid robots in its developed facial expressions, and today it can reproduce more than 60 facial expressions.