Editing Robot (section)

== Future development and trends ==
{{externalvideo|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVlhMGQgDkY Atlas, The Next Generation]}}
{{further|Robotics}}

Various techniques have emerged to develop the science of robotics and robots. One method is [[evolutionary robotics]], in which a number of differing robots are submitted to tests. Those which perform best are used as a model to create a subsequent "generation" of robots. Another method is [[developmental robotics]], which tracks changes and development within a single robot in the areas of problem-solving and other functions. Another new type of robot is just recently introduced which acts both as a smartphone and robot and is named RoboHon.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.codexify.com/2015/10/robohon-cute-little-robot-cum-smartphone.html |title=RoboHon: Cute little Robot cum Smartphone &#124; Codexify |access-date=6 October 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007014124/http://blog.codexify.com/2015/10/robohon-cute-little-robot-cum-smartphone.html |archive-date=7 October 2015}}</ref>

As robots become more advanced, eventually there may be a standard computer [[operating system]] designed mainly for robots. [[Robot Operating System]] (ROS) is an [[open-source software]] set of programs being developed at [[Stanford University]], the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], and the [[Technical University of Munich]], Germany, among others. ROS provides ways to program a [[robot navigation|robot's navigation]] and limbs regardless of the specific hardware involved. It also provides high-level commands for items like [[image recognition]] and even opening doors. When ROS boots up on a robot's computer, it would obtain data on attributes such as the length and movement of robots' limbs. It would relay this data to higher-level algorithms. Microsoft is also developing a "Windows for robots" system with its Robotics Developer Studio, which has been available since 2007.<ref name="ROS">{{cite web|url=http://www.ethiopianreview.com/articles/23156|title=Robots to get their own operating system|first=Mehret|last=Tesfaye|website=Ethiopian Review|date=13 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090918055715/http://www.ethiopianreview.com/articles/23156|archive-date=18 September 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Japan hopes to have full-scale commercialization of service robots by 2025. Much technological research in Japan is led by Japanese government agencies, particularly the Trade Ministry.<ref name="UK Japan report">{{cite report|url=http://ukinjapan.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/5606907/5633632/next-generation-services-robots|title=Research and Development for Next-generation Service Robots in Japan|type=United Kingdom Foreign Ministry report|first=Yumiko|last=Myoken|publisher=Science and Innovation Section, [[British Embassy, Tokyo]], Japan|date=January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723091926/http://ukinjapan.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/5606907/5633632/next-generation-services-robots|archive-date=23 July 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Many future applications of robotics seem obvious to people, even though they are well beyond the capabilities of robots available at the time of the prediction.<ref name="A4">{{cite book |url=https://www.springer.com/engineering/robotics/book/978-94-007-0578-4 |title=Robotic Tactile Sensing – Technologies and System |publisher=Springer |access-date=8 February 2014 |isbn=978-94-007-0578-4 |date=30 July 2012 |doi=10.1007/978-94-007-0579-1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229011744/http://www.springer.com/engineering/robotics/book/978-94-007-0578-4 |archive-date=29 December 2013 |url-status=live |last1=Dahiya |first1=Ravinder S. |last2=Valle |first2=Maurizio }}</ref><ref name="A5">{{cite journal |doi=10.1109/TRO.2011.2155830|title=Guest Editorial Special Issue on Robotic Sense of Touch|journal=IEEE Transactions on Robotics|volume=27|issue=3|pages=385–388|year=2011|last1=Dahiya|first1=Ravinder S.|last2=Metta|first2=Giorgio|last3=Cannata|first3=Giorgio|last4=Valle|first4=Maurizio|s2cid=18608163}}</ref> As early as 1982 people were confident that someday robots would:<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Engelberger |first=Joseph F. |author-link=Joseph F. Engelberger |date=August 1982 |title=Robotics in practice: Future capabilities |magazine=Electronic Servicing & Technology}}</ref> 1. Clean parts by removing [[molding flash]] 2. Spray paint automobiles with absolutely no human presence 3. Pack things in boxes—for example, orient and nest chocolate candies in candy boxes 4. Make electrical [[cable harness]] 5. Load trucks with boxes—a [[packing problem]] 6. Handle soft goods, such as garments and shoes 7. Shear sheep 8. Be used as [[prosthesis|prostheses]] 9. Cook fast food and work in other service industries 10. Work as a household robot.

Generally such predictions are overly optimistic in timescale.

=== New functionalities and prototypes ===
{{Update section|date=August 2021}}
In 2008, [[Caterpillar Inc.]] developed a dump truck which can drive itself without any human operator.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/131/the-caterpillar-self-driving-dump-truck.html?nav=inform-rl|title=The Caterpillar Self-Driving Dump Truck|first=Tim|last=McKeough|magazine=[[Fast Company]]|date=1 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607062457/http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/131/the-caterpillar-self-driving-dump-truck.html?nav=inform-rl|archive-date=7 June 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Many analysts believe that self-driving trucks may eventually revolutionize logistics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-12-09/self-driving-trucks-to-revolutionize-logistics-dhl-says|title=Self-Driving Trucks to Revolutionize Logistics, DHL Says|first=Richard|last=Weiss|website=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=9 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722235005/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-12-09/self-driving-trucks-to-revolutionize-logistics-dhl-says|archive-date=22 July 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> By 2014, Caterpillar had a self-driving dump truck which is expected to greatly change the process of mining. In 2015, these Caterpillar trucks were actively used in mining operations in Australia by the mining company [[Rio Tinto Coal Australia]].<ref>{{cite AV media|url=http://www.equipmentworld.com/video-why-caterpillars-autonomous-mining-tech-is-completely-different-from-anything-its-ever-done/|title=VIDEO: Why Caterpillar's autonomous mining tech is "completely different from anything" it's ever done|first=Wayne|last=Grayson|date=16 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513040542/http://www.equipmentworld.com/video-why-caterpillars-autonomous-mining-tech-is-completely-different-from-anything-its-ever-done/|archive-date=13 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Trends/Self-driving-dump-trucks-automatic-shovels-coming-to-Australian-mines|title=Self-driving dump trucks, automatic shovels coming to Australian mines|first=Kaori|last=Takahashi|date=23 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509210931/http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Trends/Self-driving-dump-trucks-automatic-shovels-coming-to-Australian-mines|archive-date=9 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/business-it/forget-selfdriving-google-cars-australia-has-selfdriving-trucks-20141020-118o47.html|title=Forget self-driving Google cars, Australia has self-driving trucks|first=Matthew|last=Hall|newspaper=[[The Age]]|date=20 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426221302/http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/business-it/forget-selfdriving-google-cars-australia-has-selfdriving-trucks-20141020-118o47.html|archive-date=26 April 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/rio-tinto-using-self-driving-trucks-to-transport-ore-2015-10?r=UK&IR=T|title=Australian mining giant Rio Tinto is using these huge self-driving trucks to transport iron ore|first=Charles|last=Clark|website=[[Business Insider]]|date=19 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509125519/http://www.businessinsider.com/rio-tinto-using-self-driving-trucks-to-transport-ore-2015-10?r=UK&IR=T|archive-date=9 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Some analysts believe that within the next few decades, most trucks will be self-driving.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324144304578624221804774116|title=Daddy, What Was a Truck Driver? Over the Next Two Decades, the Machines Themselves Will Take Over the Driving|first=Dennis K.|last=Berman|date=23 July 2013|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304131234/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324144304578624221804774116|archive-date=4 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

A literate or 'reading robot' named Marge has intelligence that comes from software. She can read newspapers, find and correct misspelled words, learn about banks like Barclays, and understand that some restaurants are better places to eat than others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/40534768|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728122936/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/40534768|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 July 2020|title=Robot can read, learn like a human|website=[[NBC News]]|date=6 December 2010|access-date=10 December 2010}}</ref>

[[Baxter (robot)|Baxter]] is a new robot introduced in 2012 which learns by guidance. A worker could teach Baxter how to perform a task by moving its hands in the desired motion and having Baxter memorize them. Extra dials, buttons, and controls are available on Baxter's arm for more precision and features. Any regular worker could program Baxter and it only takes a matter of minutes, unlike usual industrial robots that take extensive programs and coding to be used. This means Baxter needs no programming to operate. No software engineers are needed. This also means Baxter can be taught to perform multiple, more complicated tasks. Sawyer was added in 2015 for smaller, more precise tasks.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-20800118 |title=Robots: Brave New World moves a step closer |first=James |last=Melik |work=Business Daily |publisher=BBC World Service |date=3 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114133009/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-20800118 |archive-date=14 January 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Prototype cooking robots have been developed and could be programmed for autonomous, dynamic and adjustable preparation of discrete meals.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kitchen robot in Riga cooks up new future for fast food |url=https://techxplore.com/news/2021-07-kitchen-robot-riga-cooks-future.html |access-date=14 August 2021 |work=techxplore.com }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Tech May Widen the Gap Between Rich and Poor |url=https://futurism.com/tech-may-widen-the-gap-between-rich-and-poor |access-date=23 August 2021 |work=Futurism}}</ref>