Why iRobot’s founder won’t go within 10 feet of today’s walking robots

When a renowned robotics expert advises maintaining a distance of at least nine feet from full-sized walking robots, it's wise to heed the warning. Rodney Brooks, a key figure in humanoid robotics and co-founder of iRobot, recently expressed his concerns in a technical essay titled "Why Today’s Humanoids Won’t Learn Dexterity," shared on his blog last week. Brooks, a professor emeritus at MIT, cautions that until a safer two-legged walking robot is developed, humanoid robots will not receive certification for use in environments populated by people. He emphasizes that the current generation of bipedal robots poses significant risks due to the immense kinetic energy they produce while trying to maintain balance. This stored energy can lead to serious injuries if the robot were to fall or if its limbs were to contact a person. In addition to the physical dangers, Brooks challenges the popular notion that humanoid robots will soon replace human jobs by simply learning dexterity from observing humans. This AI training method, widely discussed in tech circles, may not be as effective as believed. Despite the burgeoning excitement around advancements in AI, he believes that the reality of developing safe, functional humanoids is further away than many anticipate. The hype surrounding robotics has surged, particularly with claims from tech leaders like Elon Musk, who predicts that Tesla's Optimus robots could yield staggering revenues. Similarly, Brett Adcock, CEO of Figure, envisions humanoids tackling countless tasks across various industries. However, Brooks argues that hardware development is far more complex than software creation. The immutable laws of physics present significant challenges, making it essential for robots to possess a sophisticated sense of touch for safe interactions with the physical world. With decades of experience in robotic manipulation, Brooks insists that companies are overlooking this crucial aspect in their pursuit of advanced humanoid technologies.