In 2020, the robotics landscape saw significant advancements despite global challenges, with several notable robots being built, others under development, and many incorporating cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies. Here's a comprehensive overview of the robotics scene in 2020.
Robots Built and Released in 2020
Boston Dynamics' Spot
The most significant robot release of 2020 was Boston Dynamics' Spot, which officially launched for commercial sales in June 2020 at a price of $74,500
bostondynamics.com spectrum.ieee.org . This quadruped robot quickly found applications across multiple industries, including power utilities, construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, and mining bostondynamics.com . Spot's "brain" consisted of AI algorithms enabling autonomous operation, problem detection and prediction, and complex question resolution
Alter 3's Enhanced Capabilities
While not a new robot in 2020, Alter 3, developed by Osaka University and MIXI, showcased enhanced capabilities that year. In February 2020, this AI-powered robot conducted an orchestra at the New National Theater in Tokyo
builtin.com . Powered by an artificial neural network, Alter 3 represented a fascinating intersection of robotics, AI, and artistic expression.
Robots Under Construction in 2020
Boston Dynamics' Stretch
Throughout 2020, Boston Dynamics was developing Stretch, a robot specifically designed for warehouse facilities and distribution centers
bostondynamics.com . Unveiled shortly after 2020, Stretch represented Boston Dynamics' strategic expansion into commercial logistics applications.
Boston Dynamics' Handle
Another Boston Dynamics robot under active development in 2020 was Handle, a warehouse robot featuring a leg-wheel hybrid mobility system, a manipulator arm with a vacuum gripper, and a counterbalancing tail
spectrum.ieee.org . Industry experts noted that Handle was still in development during 2020, with expectations that it wouldn't be ready for work outside of Boston Dynamics until at least 2021.
Boston Dynamics' Atlas
The humanoid robot Atlas, described as "possibly the most agile humanoid robot ever built," continued its development throughout 2020
spectrum.ieee.org . Known for its ability to run, climb, jump over obstacles, and even get up after a fall, Atlas represented the cutting edge of humanoid robotics. Boston Dynamics continued to refine its capabilities, using model-predictive control technology and reinforcement learning to enhance its movements and actions
AMECA's Development
Engineering Arts was working on AMECA, which would later become known as one of the most advanced humanoid robots. During its development phase in 2020, engineers were integrating AI and machine learning systems with sensors for tracking movement, face recognition, and voice recognition capabilities
AI Integration in Robotics During 2020
The integration of artificial intelligence with robotics accelerated significantly in 2020, with several notable developments:
GPT-3's Impact on Robotics
In May 2020, OpenAI introduced GPT-3, a state-of-the-art autoregressive language model that used deep learning to produce various computer codes, poetry, and other language tasks exceptionally similar to human-written content
en.wikipedia.orgdev.to . While not a robot itself, GPT-3 represented a significant advancement in AI that would later be integrated into robotic systems for improved natural language processing and interaction capabilities.
AlphaFold 2's Breakthrough
In November 2020, DeepMind's AlphaFold 2, a model for protein structure prediction, won the CASP competition
en.wikipedia.org . This breakthrough in AI had significant implications for robotics, particularly in the development of more sophisticated control systems and decision-making algorithms.
Microsoft's T-NLG
In February 2020, Microsoft introduced its Turing Natural Language Generation (T-NLG), which was the "largest language model ever published at 17 billion parameters" at that time
en.wikipedia.org . This advancement in natural language processing would later contribute to improved human-robot interaction systems.
Industry Shifts: Hyundai's Acquisition of Boston Dynamics
A significant development in the robotics industry occurred in December 2020 when Hyundai Motor Group announced its acquisition of Boston Dynamics in a deal that valued the robotics company at $1.1 billion
spectrum.ieee.orgen.wikipedia.org . This acquisition signaled Hyundai's strategic transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider and highlighted the growing importance of robotics and AI in the automotive industry.
The acquisition was part of Hyundai's substantial investment in future technologies, including autonomous driving, artificial intelligence, Urban Air Mobility, smart factories, and robots
bostondynamics.com . This move positioned Hyundai to leverage Boston Dynamics' expertise in creating robots with advanced mobility, dexterity, and intelligence.
The Future Trajectory Set in 2020
The developments in robotics and AI during 2020 set the stage for future advancements. The commercial release of Spot demonstrated the growing market readiness for sophisticated robots, while ongoing development of humanoid robots like Atlas and AMECA pointed toward a future where robots might more closely resemble humans in both appearance and capability.
The integration of advanced AI systems like GPT-3, AlphaFold 2, and T-NLG with robotics suggested a trajectory where robots would become increasingly autonomous, capable of complex decision-making, and better at understanding and responding to human language and behavior.
Conclusion
Despite the global challenges of 2020, the year marked significant progress in robotics and artificial intelligence. From Boston Dynamics' commercial release of Spot to the continued development of sophisticated humanoid robots and the integration of groundbreaking AI technologies, 2020 represented an important chapter in the evolution of intelligent machines.
As we look back at these developments, it's clear that 2020 was a pivotal year that accelerated the trajectory toward more capable, intelligent, and commercially viable robots. The foundations laid during this year continue to influence the robotics landscape today, with many of the technologies and prototypes developed in 2020 now becoming mainstream applications across various industries.
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