Robot AI capabilities: The sky's the limit (and then, space)

Robot AI capabilities are transforming industries

AI-powered robots don’t just have potential. They’re already transforming many areas of business, from manufacturing to healthcare. 

Here are some of the top use cases for these autonomous machines:

They’re giving healthcare a shot in the arm

AI robots are helping reduce costs and improve care in hospitals and long-term care facilities. They deliver meals and medications to patients, transport linens and waste, and even help out nurses with simple tasks like taking vitals or helping patients walk. 

Human-assisted surgical robots can help surgeons perform invasive procedures with a mind-blowing degree of precision. 

Need a real-world example? Moxi, a robot assistant developed by Diligent Robotics, helps nurses with tasks like delivering supplies, transporting lab samples, and fetching items from storage rooms at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas.

Helping manufacturing find its groove

Many factories have used robotics for decades, but now they are increasingly using AI robots for assembly lines, packaging, and warehouse logistics — yes, say goodbye to stacking pallets.

Robots equipped with AI vision can detect defects in products, sort items by their attributes, and optimize the flow of goods through a facility. 

Collaborative robots ("Cobots") that work safely alongside humans, and they’re becoming more common, affordable, and reliable by the hour. 

For example, Adidas uses some of Universal Robots' Cobots for its Speedfactory shoe production line in Germany. These robots work alongside human staff to automate tasks like attaching soles and laces, resulting in increased efficiency and reduced production time. 

The final frontier

It’s no understatement to say that sending humans into space is challenging, expensive, and dangerous. AI-powered space robots and probes can explore distant planets and celestial bodies in our solar system with a high degree of autonomy. 

In the future, they will conduct experiments, collect samples, take high-resolution images, and send data back to Earth while we sip our lattes.  

Even further ahead in time, missions may deploy swarms of tiny AI robots to explore space in unprecedented ways. But, whether it’s going to be Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos to do it first is anyone’s guess. 

NASA's Perseverance rover, currently on-site on Mars, utilizes AI to autonomously navigate the challenging terrain, identify interesting geological features, and even choose its own route. This allows scientists to focus on analyzing data and planning future missions while the rover does its thing.

They’re getting us from A to B

Self-driving cars and drones are already benefiting transportation and logistics enormously.

AI powers the autonomous navigation, object detection, and decision-making capabilities of these robots and vehicles. This drastically reduces human error and increases efficiency and safety.

Wing, a subsidiary of Alphabet, utilizes autonomous drones for contactless delivery of goods in certain regions. These drones use AI to navigate airspace, detect and avoid obstacles, and safely deliver packages to customers' doorsteps, potentially changing last-mile delivery forever

Over time, who knows? Robot AI capabilities may eliminate the need for human drivers and pilots altogether! (Doesn’t mean we won’t ride around for fun, though.)

Home automation & companionship

AI-powered home robots like the Roomba can vacuum, mop, and sweep floors with zero human input while you watch your favorite TV shows.  

Now, Virtual Assistants use AI to control smart home devices, adjust the thermostat when it’s getting chilly, play your favorite tunes, and more using voice commands. 

ElliQ, a personal robot developed by Intuition Robotics, uses AI to interact with users, provide companionship, and manage smart home devices. It can learn user preferences, play games, tell stories, remind them of medications, and basically make life more comfortable.

In a few years, who knows?

AI robots may handle cooking, cleaning, yard work, and other household chores, giving us more time to enjoy our day-to-day lives.

Top 3 best AI robots on the market

So, we’ve established that AI robot capabilities are already making waves. But also, if you’re just getting into the game, you may find that there are so many choices that it’s hard to know where to start. 

That’s why we’ve picked out the best 3 of the lot. They are: 

Standard Bots' RO1

RO1 from Standard Bots is a versatile robot that can be instructed to do various things like moving objects, inspecting equipment, pick and place tasks, CNC machine tending, and many other manufacturing jobs. 

It has a Six-Axis arm (with multiple joints) that provides it with the mobility of a human, and then some, allowing it to do a variety of quick, precise, and flexible jobs.

Plus, RO1 uses computer vision and sensors to understand its environment to complete complex jobs and work alongside humans on the shop floor. The best part? It does it with absolutely zero coding required!

All, in all, this affordable, US-made, intelligent Cobot is ideal for companies looking to get into the automation game. 

Figure

Figure is a friendly robot created by Anthropic that can answer questions, control smart home devices, and even have basic conversations. 

Its natural language capabilities and conversational AI allow it to respond to people in a natural, empathetic way, ditching the by-the-numbers communication style of most AI robots. 

Figure is a useful assistant in homes, offices, or public spaces. However, it’s still in development and has some limitations in its abilities.

Orangewood Labs

Orangewood Labs builds custom AI robots for commercial and industrial use. 

So far, they have created robots for welding, soldering, pick and place, and more. Their robots use the whole gamut of robot AI capabilities: computer vision, deep learning, and robotic manipulation.

This makes their robots desirable across a wide range of industries. Of course, the capabilities of their robots depend on the needs of individual customers.

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Summing up

That's just a taste of what's possible with today's advanced AI-powered robots. As robotics and AI continue to move full speed ahead, these bots will be able to do even more complex tasks, have more natural conversations, and move more fluidly.

And, while the time of fully humanoid robots is not yet a reality, what’s undeniable is that we’re entering an age of unprecedented human/robot collaboration. 

What’s even more exciting, small and medium businesses can now compete with established giants — maybe for the first time in history. 

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Next steps

Looking to bring the latest in robot AI capabilities to your business? RO1 by Standard Bots is the best choice for machine shops large and small:

• Affordable: RO1 is the most affordable robotic arm in its class, starting at almost half the price of its closest competitors.

• Swift & robust: Despite sporting a best-in-class payload of 18 kg, RO1 outpaces rivals in both speed and precision.

• Built-in safety: Equipped with safety sensors and collision detection, RO1 ensures secure and dependable operations right on your shop floor.

Speak to our solutions team today to organize a free, 30-day onsite trial and get expert advice on everything you need to deploy your first robot.