Here are some of today’s latest robot news—with a few of my unfiltered comments thrown in…
#ElonMusk claims that by 2029 the first humans will set foot on Mars—but this time he doesn’t plan to launch only people into space. Instead, his humanoid robot Optimus will be the first to board Starship. Got it? A robot will be the first to walk on Mars… So maybe something’s off with our romantic view of space conquest. Sure, Optimus might gather important data for future human missions, but is that really the best way to inspire humanity to colonize space? Are we sure our enthusiasm for Mars won’t fade after seeing a highly sponsored robot—rather than an astronaut—be the first to set foot on the Red Planet?
Meanwhile, on Earth in China, they’re gearing up to have humanoid robots run a 21-kilometer marathon—no wheels, no aids, just their artificial legs. This event is designed to show the world how advanced these robots are, developed by companies like #Unitree and #Tiangong. But do robots racing each other even make sense? Beyond the spectacle, is it worthwhile to pursue technology that replicates our movements instead of focusing on more useful applications? Or is all this just a ploy to attract investors and make us say “what an incredible achievement” as we watch a robot stumble like a human athlete after 21 kilometers? And how do you even do a doping test on a robot? And that’s not even a joke…
Speaking of practical applications, in Japan they’re designing smart robots to send to the Moon to explore hidden caverns beneath its surface. Meanwhile, the French are testing a mini autonomous bus in Barcelona, navigating through traffic and pedestrians. In the United States, work is underway on robot assistants that can truly improve people’s lives, while in Poland, researchers are wondering how work will change with a robot as the boss.
In short, it seems that while Musk is selling space dreams and the Chinese are staging spectacular races for headlines, somewhere else someone is genuinely thinking about how to make humans and robots coexist in everyday life. Maybe we should pay more attention to those working to make technology useful, instead of just turning it into a show.
And once again, we’re out of popcorn… I can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow. Better than any Netflix series!
