Robotics & Bionics
The world is at a great inflexion point in robotics that promised a huge leap forward in productivity which will enable and empower humans to accomplish more than ever before. Robotic applications will stem far beyond the mass production lines where they have become commonplace and will soon be present in every arena of everyday human life.
New solutions to a great many seemingly intractable human problems will emerge as the use of sophisticated robotics explodes worldwide. Surgical robots are already advanced enough to allow for remote surgery. Exoskeletons are being developed to help workers with heavy lifting. Robots are being assigned the task of working in hazardous conditions instead of humans. Better food systems and solving climate change will soon be boiled down into data and computer science problems that will be solved by intelligent machines.
In the field of human-robot bionics, the promise of technology is solving physical human problems. The bionic cornea has been much lauded and is increasingly looking like a technical possibility. Bionic limbs are becoming the default ‘go to’ for individuals with limb differences. And the first recipients of bionic limbs are reporting not just physical benefits but significant benefits in their outlook, confidence and emotional well being.