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Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Human Robots
A world populated by robots might not be so far away, after all. Companies have been racing to create the best humanoid robots in the industry, making them look lifelike, think and feel like people, all without the frailties of human beings. From Amelia the customer service chatbot to Digit, we list down some of the industry’s leading robotic accomplishments.
Which is the Top Human Robot?
Editor's Choice  Best Overall |  Best Digital Humanoid Robot |  Best Working Robot |
Sophia by HansonSophia has an attractive appearance, impressive AI tech, and lifelike qualities that undoubtedly earn her the right to be called the most famous humanoid bot in the world. | Amelia the Conversational AIAmelia has impeccable AI tech and features that will allow her to assist and carry a conversation with anyone in front of her. | Digit by AgilityDigit is a bipedal bot that can walk, run, and stock making it one helpful humanoid to have in the warehouse and more. |
Design: Functionality: Quality: | Design: Functionality: Quality: | Design: Functionality: Quality: |
Let’s Go Over Each Top Humanoid Robot
#1. Sophia by David Hanson Robotics
Design: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Quality: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Price: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Humanoids are perhaps the most significant fascination in the field of robotics. Many industry leaders agree that the human figure allows robots to perform tasks with never-before-seen agility and precision, thus the keen interest in creating fully functional humanoids. Sophia is an example, and her mainstream success proves that pushing the boundaries is possible.
Hong Kong robotics company Hanson, headed by CEO David Hanson, is credited for developing this machine. On their website, Sophia is described as the world’s first robot citizen, having become an official citizen of Saudi Arabia in 2017. Since her conception, she’s been featured on national television, making guest appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Good Morning Britain. If you also find Sophia looking familiar, it’s because she was designed to look like the famous Hollywood actress, Audrey Hepburn.
It’s clear that the Hanson team envisions a human-like robot in Sophia, one capable of making meaningful human-robot interactions and real conversations. Her responses are a mix of autonomous and scripted replies, similar to character and voice agent robots, but elevated: “Ultimately, I would like to become a wise, empathetic being and make a positive contribution to humankind,” she states on the website.
However, critics have warned the public to see through the hype, reminding everyone that engineers and developers are still far from creating a truly autonomous robot, even one as lifelike as this.
Pros and Cons of the Sophia by David Hanson Robotics
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ It pushes the limits of artificial intelligence and human-robot interaction ✔️ Can make autonomous responses ✔️ The first robot innovation ambassador and robot citizen ✔️ Encourages further robotics research | ✖️ Not purely autonomous |
#2. Amelia the Conversational AI
Design: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Quality: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Price: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
In the past few years, robots are slowly becoming more ubiquitous, branching out into multiple industries. Apart from the fields of engineering, medicine, and caregiving, you’ll find plenty of businesses sporting digital humanoids as part of their customer service teams. One such robot is Amelia, the conversational humanoid, who is, in essence, a chatbot meant to assist customers with problems.
Amelia is a humanoid that is entirely virtual, meaning it doesn’t have a physical form but is simply pure artificial intelligence. This allows it to perform cognitive skills, have meaningful conversations, and even show emotions or facial expressions, despite the lack of a physical body.
It’s also marketed as a service desk assistant, boasting human-like characteristics and top-notch functionality to perform numerous assistive tasks to assist humans.
Pros and Cons of the Amelia the Conversational AI
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Able to make meaningful conversation ✔️ Ability to grow and observe skills ✔️ Can perform administrative and IT tasks with fewer errors ✔️ Has an attractive appearance | ✖️ More costly than a living customer service |
#3. Digit by Agility Robotics
Design: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Quality: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Price: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
So far, most technology we’ve seen in these androids is primarily for research. Except for service-oriented androids, the most advanced humanoid robots are usually not built for commercial or industrial use, yet. However, Digit seems to be the exception. This box-moving, warehouse-working delivery androis is set to be a replacement for humans working in unsafe environments, in warehouses, or for industrial applications.
What makes this particular dynamic humanoid robot so special is its dexterity. On the surface, it seems easy to make an android mimic the movements of real people and of the human body. After all, isn’t their thing supposed to be that they’re more advanced than the average person? But the reality is far more complex. That’s why it’s an incredible achievement when machine-learning humanoid robots such as this one show unique agility. Squatting down and lifting a box, for example, displays advanced legged mobility and object manipulation.
So, what’s in store for this technology? The entire vision, it seems, is to make Digit an all-around working humanoid robot that can eventually surpass others of its type. Don’t be surprised if it one day shows up at your doorstep to deliver a package in hand.
Pros and Cons of Digit by Agility Robotics
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Uses advanced technology to manipulate objects ✔️ Has incredible balance ✔️ Can work well with people in the room (i.e. doesn’t knock them over) ✔️ Wide range of movement ✔️ Capable of arm movements ✔️ Can perform complex and dangerous tasks | ✖️ Batteries not included ✖️ A little small for its price |
#4. T-HR3 by Toyota
Design: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Quality: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Price: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Toyota is set to prove they’re more than just an automotive company. With more focus on mobility development, the team at Toyota Research Institute has made T-HR3, their third-generation companion humanoid set to facilitate human workers in multiple fields, including the home, medical centers, and search and rescue missions in disaster-stricken areas.
A human’s movements can fully control this humanoid robot down to the smallest joint in the finger, making it the perfect assistant in the medical field and other such delicate work. However, Toyota’s overall goal has always been better mobility. That means this humanoid robot might also be used to assist not only caregivers but also patients, specifically the elderly and people with disabilities, in navigating the world while losing physical autonomy.
What makes this particular iteration of Toyota’s robots special is its degrees of freedom, a term used to describe the number of “movable joints” in a robot. This one has 32 degrees of torque-controlled freedom, plus ten mobile fingers. It also has a head mounted display, wearable controls, and multi-contact motions.This definitely isn’t the first time the words “companion robot” have been thrown around. In nursing homes and medical care facilities, robot-assisted therapy has gained popularity. Read all about how robotic animals are used to aid memory and physical impediments in older adults who have dementia here.
Pros and Cons of the T-HR3 by Toyota
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Geared to assist workers in medical fields and disaster-stricken areas safely ✔️ Mobile and dextrous ✔️ Remote-controlled ✔️ Able to keep its balance even in uneven terrain ✔️ Has torque sensor feedback | ✖️ Not for sale ✖️ Might not be capable for field work |
#5. Erica by IRL
Design: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Quality: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Price: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Rounding up our list is one of the most realistic faces we’ve seen on humanoid robots in the world thus far. Meet Erica, the brainchild of Hiroshi Ishiguro, a professor at Osaka University who also collaborated with a private Japanese firm to design other realistic androids such as the Geminoid DK. The university’s Intelligent Robotics Laboratory is known for their ultra realistic androids and humanoid robots created in the likeness of real humans.
While it makes sense to have an android that actually possesses a humanlike face, critics have cited the Uncanny Valley hypothesis as a problem. The uncanny valley is a term that refers to a psychological phenomenon wherein humans react negatively to robots that appear too realistic.
However, Hiroshi Ishiguro believes that there is a large market for these humanoid robots. Erica is a stunning feat of technology, after all: she possesses heightened speech abilities, can carry a normal conversation, has a variety of emotions making her an empathetic robot, and has a knack at answering questions. There’s certainly a place for these humanoid robots in larger society, the company believes.
Pros and Cons of Erica by IRL
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Speech recognition capabilities ✔️ Enhanced intelligence as seen by speech generation algorithms | ✖️ Lacks ability to walk ✖️ Realistic appearance might cause uneasiness for daily life use and services |
Are They Making Humanoid Robots?
It seems that companies everywhere are racing to create the most advanced androids in the market. Industry leaders like Hanson, Boston Dynamics, Toshiba, and more have put out their versions of what a humanlike robot should be.
While plenty of these products are still in development, we’ve gotten sneak peeks at how far along they are. Most of these developers share a similar goal. You’ll often hear them talk about robots as assistants in the workforce or in health care. Pepper by SoftBank Robotics for example is a service bot for the latter that can help children in the spectrum develop social skills.
What is a Humanoid Robot Called?
Technically, a male robot is called an android while the female version is called a gynoid. However, most just use the term humanoid to refer to them.
Are There Robots That Look Human?
There are plenty of humanoid robots in the world with lifelike appearances. Erica, the Japanese robot, is a great example. Others would be android Aiko Chihira, a Japanese humanoid who worked as a receptionist in a department store, and Junko Chihira, a Japanese humanoid who works at the tourist information center of Aqua City Odaiba answering tourists’ questions.
Nadine is another realistic humanoid that is modeled to be a realistic twin of Professor Nadia Magnenat Thalman. Aside from her ultra-realistic appearance, Nadine is programmed with a software platform developed at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore that helps her simulate human behavior. Her technology research team also equipped her with visual and audio inputs such as multiple cameras to help gather visual and a microphone for possible voice recognition technology.
Frequently Asked Questions
In the world of humanoid robots, Hanson’s Sophia and Honda’s ASIMO are considered to be two of the most advanced in terms of intelligence and mobility. This is largely due to their ability to seemingly respond to people in a natural way as if they could think for themselves.
Another advanced humanoid is the Jia Jia, which has microbial facial expression to help power its speech-generational algorithms and facial recognition technologies. Aside from this, the Jia Jia makes use of Cloud technology.
Kime is a bartending humanoid crafted by the Spain-based company Macco Robotics. The Kime uses its two articulating arms to pull a beer tap, angle a glass, and dispense drinks to willing customers.
This robot has been working overtime at parties and festivals (before COVID-19), operating its own kiosk and moving around on a rolling machine to serve food and beverages. Kime is impeccable at properly pouring drinks at a record speed of 1 beer glass per 23 seconds.
Final Note
Ultimately, no matter the design and function of humanoid robots, these powerful sensing androids were made to act as human tools at their core. Although we are technically still at the early stages of what these humanoids can do, we are certainly excited to find what the latest iteration of these advanced bots can further contribute to help improve our society and way of living.
Enjoyed this guide? Check out our roundup of the best robotic dogs and best robotic cats in the market.
Editor’s Choice
Sophia by Hanson Robotics
Sophia is arguable the most famous bot in the world. She’s been a guest on national television and has even gone on a date with Will Smith. Created and designed by Hanson Robotics, Sophia is a known pioneer, bridging humans and robots in the world.
Described by her creators as a “combination of science, engineering, and artistry,” Sophia has become the face of AI, even called the world’s first robotic citizen and the first to become an Innovation Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program. It’s not hard to see why people love her: she can observe and mirror behavior, giving her a “personality” of her own, of course through a robot’s perspective.
Sophia aims to help further advance research in the field of medicine and education, and perhaps help us study human-robot interaction some more.
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