Google’s PaLM-SayCan: The First of the Next Generation of Robots
Google has entered a new path: Merging AI and robotics.
Despite what Google Search says, historically speaking, AI has had very little to do with shiny metallic robots with a human form. This doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. In the last couple of years, tech companies have bet hard on AI-powered robots. And not just any type (Roomba is a useful tool but nowhere near the archetype of a robot). No. Companies are building humanoid robots.
Boston Dynamics, the eldest of the group in terms of experience in robotics, presented the latest version of Atlas in 2021. After three decades, they’ve got a model with somewhat decent motor and proprioceptive skills (it can do mortal jumps). Agility Robotics, now backed by Amazon, produces Digit, a general-purpose robot that can do warehouse work “reliably, and at human rate.” Handy, by Samsung, seems to be able to do housekeeping tasks that require some manual dexterity. Xiaomi recently joined the group with the talking robot CyberOne, which resem…