Humanoid robots are no longer just an element of science fiction or futuristic movies, but a reality that is rapidly approaching our everyday lives. In recent years, global companies have been competing for the lead in creating the perfect android, which is able not only to repeat human movements, but also to adapt to emotions and the context of communication. What previously seemed like an unattainable dream, today becomes part of real scientific research and commercial projects.
The development of humanoid robots has become a kind of innovation chase, in which leading companies invest billions of dollars, trying to be the first to open a new era in technology. But behind all this there are important questions: will these androids really be able to integrate into human society? What will be the moral and legal consequences of their existence, and most importantly, who will control this breakthrough?
The historical path from myths to reality
The desire to create a human-like mechanism has deep historical roots. Since ancient times, people dreamed of breathing life into inanimate objects, which was reflected in myths, legends and historical attempts to realize these ideas.
One of the earliest examples of this desire is the story of the Golem created by a medieval rabbi. The legend of the Golem of Prague tells of a humanoid clay figure who managed to breathe life into him through magic. At first, the Golem completed the tasks it was given, but later it got out of control and became dangerous. The story is still seen as a metaphor for the risks of creating artificial life that can turn against its creator.
The idea of creating mechanisms capable of imitating a person has persisted for centuries. During the Renaissance, when science and engineering began to develop particularly rapidly, the first automatons appeared. One of the most famous examples is the mechanical lion created by Leonardo da Vinci in 1515. This lion could independently go to King Francis I and open the compartment with flowers. It was not only a technical achievement, but also a work of art that amazed contemporaries.
In the 18th century, mechanical automata got a new life thanks to the French engineer Jacques de Vaucanson. He created a series of amazing machines that could play musical instruments or imitate the behavior of animals. His most famous creation was a mechanical duck that not only ate and drank, but also simulated digestion. This invention so impressed society that Voltaire called Vaucanson “the new Prometheus.”
Another notable achievement of this era were jacquemars — mechanical figures of people who rang bells on towers in various European cities. Their presence in Venice, Bern or Prague became a symbol of the development of engineering thought. In the 19th century, mechanical devices began to be actively integrated into the entertainment industry. For example, at fairs, automatons were demonstrated that performed human-like movements. At the same time, these machines remained more attractions than practical tools.
These stories demonstrate that modern ideas of humanoid machines are not new. They evolved from myths and legends to real engineering solutions, leaving behind many interesting examples that inspire modern inventors. People will always strive to achieve new things, but history shows that every such step requires caution, awareness and understanding of potential consequences.
For centuries, the creation of human-like mechanisms was not only an attempt to achieve technical perfection, but also a way of understanding human nature. People strive to create someone like themselves, because it is a natural desire to leave a mark and continue themselves in the world. It has a thirst for understanding, a search for kinship, and control over the chaos of life. They want to see themselves reflected—in children, students, or even in the technology they create—to better understand themselves and their influence. This is the desire to idealize, to correct one’s own shortcomings, and at the same time to find a way to overcome mortality. This is how a person seeks not only meaning, but also immortality in his creations.
The frontier of the future or a new round of evolution
In recent years, the world has entered a new era, where technologies not only complement people, but also try to replace them. Humanoid robots, which once existed only in the imaginations of science fiction writers, have now become a reality. The development of such androids has become a global race among the world’s leading companies. In this pursuit, Musk and Tesla are competing against a range of competitors, including Figure AI, 1X (powered by OpenAI), Meta, Nvidia Unitree, Fourier Intelligence, Apptronik, and even Mercedes-Benz. It seems that the world is approaching an era where the line between man and machine is becoming increasingly blurred.
Robots designed to work in factories, warehouses or at home are already showing significant potential. For example, Tesla Optimus, one of the most advanced androids, is able to sort objects, maintain balance, perform physically demanding, dangerous or routine work, replacing a human in many areas, as well as perform basic physical tasks and even sing and play football. This direction of robotics goes far beyond industrial production or logistics. Scientists and engineers are exploring the possibility of using humanoid robots in space, medicine, the social sphere, as well as in the sphere of entertainment and even personal relationships. Developers predict that in the future such robots will become an integral part of production processes, care for people, as well as other routine tasks.
But plans to use humanoid robots in space are even more ambitious. Scientists suggest that androids can replace humans in the study of other planets. Astronomer Martin Rees said that the cost-effectiveness of robotic missions far exceeds human ones. For example, the Perseverance rover mission cost $2.7 billion, while a manned flight to Mars could cost $100 billion. In the future, robots may colonize Mars and even perform tasks beyond human capabilities.
The integration of robots into social life creates unusual scenarios. Now there are more and more reports of people entering unofficial marriages with robots. Frenchwoman Lily created her robot on a 3D printer, and then organized a marriage ceremony with him. In China, an engineer decided to marry an android he created after he got tired of his family’s constant complaints about his wife’s absence and wanting her not to “blow his brains out.” Although such cases are still perceived as curiosities, they emphasize the possibility of radical changes in social relations. Experts believe that robots can be a solution to combat loneliness, especially among the elderly or those who have difficulty establishing relationships.
How unique anthropomorphic robots are created
Modern robotics has already gone beyond the creation of functional machines and aspires to a new level — the creation of robots capable of imitating human emotions. This is not just a technical challenge, but also an attempt to solve the issue of interaction between machines and people, to ensure comfort and naturalness of communication. One of the leaders in this field is the British company Engineered Arts, which creates robots with realistic facial expressions and the ability to interact with people on an emotional level. For example, their Ameca model is able to reproduce a wide range of emotional reactions: surprise, fear, joy, interest. The company’s engineers use unique technologies that allow creating realistic dynamics of movements and facial expressions, as close as possible to human ones.
A key element of the work of android robots is the use of mechanisms responsible for facial movement. Ameca’s face is made of a soft material similar to human skin that allows for smooth muscle movements. Under the skin are electric motors and actuators that work synchronously, providing a natural look of facial expressions.
Engineers program models so that they can respond to external stimuli. For example, microphones built into the robot’s “ears” allow it to determine the source of sound, and cameras in the eyes monitor people’s movements and simulate eye contact. When you talk to such a robot, it turns to you, looks into your eyes and responds to the intonation of your voice. This creates the illusion that the machine really understands your emotions. In order for the robot to be able to display emotions, complex algorithms are used that analyze the context of the situation and respond with appropriate reactions. At the initial stages of work, engineers used simple tricks: for example, the robot repeated the phrases it heard, changing the words “I” to “you”. This gave people the impression that the machine understood them.
Modern robots, such as Ameca, are equipped with neural networks capable of analyzing not only words, but also the emotional coloring of the voice, facial expressions of the interlocutor and the context of communication. Thanks to this, the robot can show fear in situations of threat, interest during dialogue, or even change its facial expression to show “thoughts”. One of the biggest technical challenges in creating such robots is replicating the movements of the human body. Engineered Arts has developed unique Ameca clavicle hinges that allow the work to tilt, rotate and naturally move the torso. Thanks to these details, even simple movement looks realistic, bringing the androids even closer to humans.
Although modern work shows impressive advances, creating realistic emotional behavior still faces challenges. For example, electric motors that actuate facial expressions consume a lot of energy and do not always provide sufficient smoothness of movements. It is also difficult to reproduce the depth of emotions that is natural for a person. Despite this, engineers continue to work on improving technologies. In the future, robots will not only be able to show emotions, but also understand them in people, which will open new horizons in the use of androids in the social sphere, medicine and education. The current version of the Optimus arm has actuators located directly in the arm itself and only has 11 degrees of freedom. In the next generation, the number of degrees of freedom will increase to 22, and the actuators will be moved to the forearm, which is more reminiscent of human anatomy.
Geminoids: When Robots Become Almost Human
At the robotics exhibition in Hong Kong, a new generation of humanoid robots – geminoids – was presented. They were created by a group of researchers from Osaka University and the ATRII Institute under the leadership of world-renowned engineer Hiroshi Ishiguro. These works caused a real sensation among visitors, because they were almost indistinguishable from people. The public’s special attention was paid to the geminoid of the third generation – a robot that can sing and convey a rich spectrum of human emotions. His facial expressions, movements, and even the tone of his voice are so realistic that they were truly admirable.
Hiroshi Ishiguro is a professor and engineer who turned robotics into art. In 2006, he surprised the world by creating Geminoid HI-1, the first humanoid copy of himself. Since then, he has created six versions of this robot, each of which has become more perfect than the previous one. The latest model, the Geminoid HI-6, not only looks like Ishiguro, but can also talk.
“We integrated a large language model into the robot and added the texts of my books and interviews. Now this robot is able to give lectures instead of me, answer questions from the audience, and even debate.” – explains Ishiguro.
The realism of Ishiguro’s robots is impressive. They have natural hair, silicone skin that is practically indistinguishable from human skin, and their facial expressions make it easy to mistake them for humans.
The Geminoid F model deserves special attention – this robot is able to reproduce 65 different emotions, including a smile, wink and eyebrow movements. A complex system of mechanisms controlled by a computer is responsible for facial expressions. Spectators watching this geminoid often forget that in front of them is a machine, not a person. Interestingly, Ishiguro’s first humanoid robot was created based on his daughter. This approach highlights how close technology can come to mimicking human life.
It should be noted that the entertainment industry, in particular sex toys, actively monitors the development of geminoids. Already today, high-tech sex dolls can change skin temperature, simulate tactile sensations and even reproduce human sounds. Combining these capabilities with robots that look like people could dramatically change the way we think about intimacy. Experts note that intimate works can become the next stage of evolution in the sex industry. Despite centuries-old church instructions and established moral norms, sex is one of the main components of human existence. And if that’s the case, Ishiguro notes, it’s no wonder that pornography and sex have flooded digital means of communication. As soon as geminoids become more advanced and affordable, they will definitely be at the center of sex culture.
The dangers of robotics: why you should think about the future
The development of humanoid robots opens up great technical prospects, but with each new achievement new questions arise: how will such technologies affect the social structure? Will they replace people in certain professions? Is society ready for their use in everyday life? What will our future be in the conditions of rapid development of artificial intelligence and robotics? And most importantly, will they not become a threat to humanity?
Currently, despite progress, modern robots remain far from the ideal of autonomy. Their operation requires complex programming and, in many cases, remote control. For example, robot advisors in shopping centers or museums often work according to a predetermined scenario and are not able to adapt to unpredictable situations. Additionally, robots have a limited lifespan due to their reliance on batteries. Most of them require regular charging, which limits their functionality, especially in conditions where continuous operation is required.
Also, now even the simplest jobs cost a lot. For example, Tesla predicts that their Optimus robot will cost around $20,000. For many companies and individuals, this price remains out of reach. In addition, the works require constant maintenance, software updates and replacement of worn parts. This creates additional costs that often exceed the initial cost of the device itself. Another challenge is the security of robots against cyber attacks. Hackers can compromise autonomous devices and use them for espionage, sabotage, or even physical attacks. This is especially dangerous in environments where robots are used in critical industries such as energy or transportation. However, solving all these problems is only a matter of time.
Elon Musk predicts that by 2030 artificial intelligence (AI) can surpass humans in terms of intelligence, and by the end of 2040 there will be more robots than people. They can become habitual in all aspects of our lives: from working in factories to caring for people. He also emphasizes that humanity is approaching the limit of its capabilities in controlling the development of AI. According to Musk, the future depends on how responsibly we approach the creation of robots and the legislative regulation of this area.
Some experts believe that robots could become part of our social environment, filling roles that are currently held by humans. But is society ready to accept such “partners”? The use of robots in social areas such as elderly care or even the entertainment industry can lead to social isolation. For example, robot companions that are created to combat loneliness can actually only exacerbate the problem. People who replace real communication with interaction with machines risk losing social skills and an emotional connection to society.
Another important problem can be the “uncanny valley” effect, where a humanoid robot is disliked because of its excessive human-likeness. This effect occurs when a humanoid robot looks too realistic, but its movements or facial expressions remain unnatural. Such inconsistency causes fear and discomfort in people, which limits the use of androids in areas that require close interaction with people.
The situation will become more complicated if robots start to be used in social spheres. For example, in Saudi Arabia, Sofia’s work was granted citizenship, which caused serious discussions among experts. Many believe this sets a dangerous precedent, as machines cannot fully understand human laws or emotions. Also, the use of robots can further increase social inequality. Rich countries and companies gain access to advanced technologies, while the poor are left out of this progress. This creates the risk of a “technological gap” that could affect global stability.
Already today, automation is changing the economic landscape and threatening unemployment. Robots are increasingly performing physically demanding, dangerous or routine tasks, freeing people from risky work. For example, automation has reduced the workplace injury rate in the US by 1.2 per 100 workers per year. But this progress has a dark side. A study conducted by scientists from the University of Pittsburgh and Princeton University found that in regions with high robotics, the number of cases of depression, alcoholism and drug addiction is increasing. 37.8 additional deaths from alcohol and drugs are recorded annually for every 100,000 people. In Germany, where the legislation more strictly protects workers, such consequences are hardly observed. However, there the physical load on workers decreased by 4%, and the injury rate dropped by 5%.
The use of robots for military purposes raises even more concerns. Robot soldiers could become the perfect war machines: they do not feel fear, they do not tire, and they are ready to follow orders without objection. But how to control such weapons to avoid disasters? The creation of autonomous military robots could lead to life and death decisions being made by machines rather than humans. And this is not only an ethical problem, but also a potential threat to all of humanity if such robots get out of control.
Issues of responsibility related to the introduction of robots into various spheres of life are extremely important. Who will be responsible for the actions of robot soldiers and autonomous combat vehicles? How to prevent their use in terrorist acts or other criminal purposes? And in general, if a robot causes harm, who should be responsible? The owner, the developer or the device itself? For example, if an autonomous robot surgeon makes a mistake, who will compensate the patient?
Therefore, humanoid robots are a progressive technological breakthrough and a new round of evolution, with great potential to change our reality. However, these changes bring with them certain security risks, as well as the loss of something fundamental — our values, emotions, and even ourselves. Robots can become our assistants and interlocutors, but they should never replace what makes us human: real relationships, deep feelings, and the capacity for empathy. Without clear laws and ethical standards for technology to serve people, robots can become tools of alienation and dehumanization.
Oksana Ishchenko
