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Humanoid Robots Get Kill Switches
“I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” // GIF by Kate Walker
The robotics industry is struggling to figure out the best safety standards for shutting down rogue humanoid robots.
The Big Picture: In five years, there are expected to be over a million robots working in warehouses and factories — and potentially thousands in private homes. Deploying them safely to work and live alongside humans may soon become one of the defining technological issues of the modern age.
Behind The Code: It turns out that shutting down a humanoid robot is a bit more complicated than flipping a switch.
If a robot freaks out (which has already happened), supervisors will need to know how to turn it off and be able to do so quickly… but there’s debate over whether having a button accessible is even the safest option.
If a robot simply powered down, it could accidentally topple over. At six feet tall and 150 pounds, that could seriously injure someone — or destroy nearby objects. Which means robots will need to be programmed to fall safely. (Airbags, anyone?)
To mitigate the risk, some companies have rolled out unique safety features. For example, Agility’s robot, Digit, “crouches when it detects a potential safety issue and lies in a fetal position when it powers off,” per The Information.
Glass Break: Most of the discussion around robotic safety is happening within the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) — a trade group representing more than 1,400 robotics companies. Every quarter, representatives gather to hash out uniform standards for humanoids. So far, the conversations have been contentious, with a clear delineation between those who want to prioritize safety above all else and those who worry a heavy hand could stifle innovation. Still, the group aims to publish safety recommendations within a year.
Let’s hope the Silicon Valley mantra of “move fast and break things” isn’t taken literally.
The Future: Like with cars and restaurants, it’s possible a grading system could be rolled out to categorize robots based on how safe they are. A high grade could become the deciding factor for many customers.
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When UGC becomes the heart of your strategy, your product stops blending in and starts belonging in the lives (and carts) of your consumers.
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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Boye Akolade. Copy edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.