[k_kelly]

This is AMAZING.

We are definitely on an exponential in term of capabilities of humanoid robots. We are probably only years away from having a robot in the house, in construction of robots. Automating anything that a human can do is best done in a human sized robot.

But.

None of these are actually useful right now. I don't want something with the arm strength of a forklift taking care of my parents or kids. The demand for humanoid robots right now is like lift a fridge from a delivery truck to a house (aka more mobile forklift) or walk through toxic sewage to pull crates out. Super useful but basically just mobile cranes, which is a small market. China seems to be making the mistake of pushing a tech demo as a consumer product (we've all been on those projects...) which can make people hate the tech.

Build something people want, don't mandate what they want. We're like 3-4 generations from amazing, useful robots. I'll be scared when these things are minding a bunch of dogs on stage.

[ponector]

>> None of these are actually useful right now.

They could be really useful: without hesitation such humanoid could bring pack of explosives to the opposed treeline.

[rubzah]

I hate you. This will be real in <5 years.

Also, current tech could be useful as a shopping assistant, to carry the groceries for people who can't, for one reason or another. Though the other post about tipping safety does have a point.

[energy123]

> I don't want something with the arm strength of a forklift taking care of my parents or kids.

A risk I never hear discussed is falling over and injuring children. Even the petite Unitree models are like a 70kg piece of furniture. Each year thousands get injured because of furniture falling over. I'd buy one immediately, but if I had kids or pets, I would wait for safety data on falls.

[jbstack]

Humans have a similar weight and can also fall, so would you be satisfied with a fall rate the same or better than an average human?

[expedition32]

People here on HN rave about FSD taxis... And we know that cars are potential death machines.

Anyways these robots are cool and I hope we send robots to Mars instead of human astronauts.

[jhanschoo]

> I don't want something with the arm strength of a forklift taking care of my parents or kids.

Robots in such an environment are designed with the appropriate affordances so that they cannot use too much force... but the concern about weight I suppose is quite salient.