The Most Advanced Robots in 2018

We live in the age of robots. Artificial intelligence is developing ever more rapidly. Here is the list of the most advanced robots at the time this article was written.

Agility Robotics’ Cassie

Cassie is a bipedal robot with no arms that can walk and run. Designing a two-legged robot is more complicated than creating a robot that uses four legs because a bipedal robot can lose balance much more easily. Cassie is a prototype for the future robot that will have arms as well.

The reason why the company is building them like this is that they want to build robots that can easily navigate the same environment as people. This should make the transport of packages from delivery truck to customers’ doorstep much easier.

Cassie is currently sold to researchers in robotics and one of their first customers is MIT.

NASA’s Valkyrie

This “superhero” Android looks like it came straight out of Star Wars. It is strong, completely self-contained, it boasts 44 degrees of freedom, a 2kW battery stored in its backpack and cameras in its head, chest, forearms, knees, and feet. Its purpose? To send robots to scout and prepare the way to Mars ahead of human astronauts.

Honda’s Asimo

The most advanced robot in terms of human interaction so far, Asimo was unveiled in 2000, after decades of development. Asimo is the first bipedal robot and it can perform some pretty advanced functions, such as walking up and downstairs, standing on one leg, kicking a ball and jumping. In terms of intelligence, Asimo can recognize voice commands, faces and gestures and respond to them appropriately. Designed to be an assistance and nursing robot, Asimo has 14 degrees of freedom in its arms and additional 4 DOF in its hands. Moreover, it has five fingers with opposable thumbs, allowing it to carry a tray, push a cart, turn on light switches, open doors and more.

It is four feet three inches tall, enabling it to navigate home or the office and operate in a human environment. It can move autonomously, avoid obstacles, and recognize moving objects.

Honda recently announced that it won’t produce Asimo anymore, but it will use the technology to develop four new helper robots.

Boston Dynamics’ Atlas and Spot Mini

These robots have the most advanced movement in the industry.

Atlas, first released in 2013, is a bipedal six-foot humanoid robot that can navigate uneven natural terrain without losing balance, and manipulate its environment, e.g. lift and move packages. In terms of movement, it has a number of advanced functions. If it falls down, it can lift itself up, if it drops the package it can track it and lift it again. It can also open doors, run and jump over obstacles and even do backflips!

Spot Mini is a four-legged robotic dog that can smoothly walk and run in obstacle-laden environments, climb the stairs, pick up and relocate objects. Primarily intended for military purposes one of its main applications in the future is for security.