The vast majority of infrastructure is made for humanoids, so having humanoid robots using what we have is much simpler. And then, when building new things with and for robot workers then they can be co-developed with non humanoid robots for maximum efficiency.
That’s my thinking as well, also humanoid robots are very versatile and that allows a single robot to handle many different jobs. If you make purpose built robots, then you have to design one for each specific task.
The assumption that we need to strive for human-like design isn’t really accurate. Maybe in the future, but right now the amount of energy and effort required for bipedal balance and movement is not worth it for the very minor advantages of such machines. Being upright and bipedal is a huge engineering headache that we’re barely managing to cope with in robots today, which simply isn’t needed for most tasks. Neverminded having 5 fully operable digits, which even humans really only need when playing musical instruments. I’m not doubting the potential, I’m just skeptical about this particular implementation when there are way cheaper and more convenient/logical options around. Seems a little PR stunt-y.
Neverminded having 5 fully operable digits, which even humans really only need when playing musical instruments
I’m sorry but wtf are you smoking? Lol. Almost all use of human tools needs 5 digits to work effectively. That why the most advanced prosthetic hands and arms are designed to mimic 5 digit hands. Sure there are disabled people that make due but the vast majority of tasks are so drastically easier with 5 functioning digits. Primarily because those tasks, tools, etc, were created with the use of 5 digits in mind. I’m sorry but this statement is absolutely ludicrous at its base foundation. It literally breaks my brain that someone would think this in any way. As someone who does woodworking, painting, cooking, and a bunch of other hobbies that involve manual use of your hands… I just can’t even. Lol. I can’t imagine doing 1/10th of what I do without thumbs and I don’t even play a musical instrument.
Okay now you’re being a bit ridiculous, the precise reason I say 5 fingers isn’t strictly necessary is because I have experience working at workshops with people with missing digits. Hell, if you’ve ever had broken fingers for a any long periods of time, you would also be able to get used to making do with two of them stuck together (effectively giving you just 4 fingers, I would know). Even the discomfort you’re alleging to is completely pointless, because while yes our tools are made to feel comfortable with 5 fingers, with some slight adjustment, we can use them just as efficiently with less. This has nothing to do with robotics, because unlike humans, they aren’t “used to” having any number of fingers, so it makes no difference to them whether they have 5, 4, or 3, Boston dynamics knows this well enough that their robot arms have just 3 claws, and that’s still capable of practically any basic manual task. I am not saying humans don’t need 5 fingers (It certainly helps), I’m saying robots do not need them, and especially for the kind of job shown in the video.
The vast majority of infrastructure is made for humanoids, so having humanoid robots using what we have is much simpler. And then, when building new things with and for robot workers then they can be co-developed with non humanoid robots for maximum efficiency.
That’s my thinking as well, also humanoid robots are very versatile and that allows a single robot to handle many different jobs. If you make purpose built robots, then you have to design one for each specific task.
The assumption that we need to strive for human-like design isn’t really accurate. Maybe in the future, but right now the amount of energy and effort required for bipedal balance and movement is not worth it for the very minor advantages of such machines. Being upright and bipedal is a huge engineering headache that we’re barely managing to cope with in robots today, which simply isn’t needed for most tasks. Neverminded having 5 fully operable digits, which even humans really only need when playing musical instruments. I’m not doubting the potential, I’m just skeptical about this particular implementation when there are way cheaper and more convenient/logical options around. Seems a little PR stunt-y.
I’m sorry but wtf are you smoking? Lol. Almost all use of human tools needs 5 digits to work effectively. That why the most advanced prosthetic hands and arms are designed to mimic 5 digit hands. Sure there are disabled people that make due but the vast majority of tasks are so drastically easier with 5 functioning digits. Primarily because those tasks, tools, etc, were created with the use of 5 digits in mind. I’m sorry but this statement is absolutely ludicrous at its base foundation. It literally breaks my brain that someone would think this in any way. As someone who does woodworking, painting, cooking, and a bunch of other hobbies that involve manual use of your hands… I just can’t even. Lol. I can’t imagine doing 1/10th of what I do without thumbs and I don’t even play a musical instrument.
Okay now you’re being a bit ridiculous, the precise reason I say 5 fingers isn’t strictly necessary is because I have experience working at workshops with people with missing digits. Hell, if you’ve ever had broken fingers for a any long periods of time, you would also be able to get used to making do with two of them stuck together (effectively giving you just 4 fingers, I would know). Even the discomfort you’re alleging to is completely pointless, because while yes our tools are made to feel comfortable with 5 fingers, with some slight adjustment, we can use them just as efficiently with less. This has nothing to do with robotics, because unlike humans, they aren’t “used to” having any number of fingers, so it makes no difference to them whether they have 5, 4, or 3, Boston dynamics knows this well enough that their robot arms have just 3 claws, and that’s still capable of practically any basic manual task. I am not saying humans don’t need 5 fingers (It certainly helps), I’m saying robots do not need them, and especially for the kind of job shown in the video.