A new technological trend is emerging – the companionship of humans and robots. Man has created a robot in his own image, a machine without a soul and heart, and artificial intelligence (AI) has breathed – life into it. Humanoid robots already mimic human movements and facial expressions to a great extent, perform various tasks, perceive space, and even coherently respond to questions, including journalistic ones. The latest technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence, have refined them to the point where they can also be – friends to humans.
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—For instance, anyone who lacks a girlfriend, friends, or does not enjoy human company, and has an extra $175,000, can purchase a blonde robotic companion, Aria, or some other humanoid marvel of robotics. This humanoid robotic girl, created by the technology company Realbotix, provides unforgettable visual and verbal moments, but without romance.
Aria is one of the humanoid robots, previously only possible in films, that uses artificial intelligence to turn science fiction into reality. She mimics human movements, visually communicates with her eyes, recognizes objects and her human friend, whom she also remembers. She is modular and adaptable, allowing the user to create the ideal companion by replacing any part whenever desired.
Aria was showcased at CES 2025, the world’s largest consumer electronics and digital innovation fair held in January this year in Las Vegas, where she even answered questions from visitors. Her head contains seventeen motors that animate her face, which can be replaced with another if the user is not satisfied (it attaches to her head with a magnet); her hairstyle can also be changed. Like other Realbotix robots, Aria is not designed for physical intimacy; she provides only emotional and spiritual support. She is suitable for personal interaction with people, for example, in education, research, healthcare, and entertainment.
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—For those who do not like her, they can purchase Realbotix’s black-haired Melody for the same price. With the help of technology, her facial expression and character can be changed in just thirty seconds, as can the way she speaks. The hardware of both Aria and Melody is open-source, allowing them to communicate with other artificial intelligence platforms.
– Melody does not have a sex doll function. These robots are more for engagement and entertainment, and they can participate in adult conversations. Just don’t expect them to smile while doing so – stated a spokesperson for Realbotix.
‘Consider Us Collaborators’
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—Among these humanoid robots, there are even more advanced ones. Reportedly, Ameca, a product of the American company Am Engineered, is the most advanced AI robot in the world. It has built-in microphones, cameras in its eyes and chest, and facial recognition software that allows it to communicate with humans. It is powered by artificial intelligence, with motorized arms, fingers, neck, and facial features. Its cognitive abilities are enhanced by integration with OpenAI’s language models GPT-3 and GPT-4, allowing it to understand questions and respond to them, tell jokes, mimic the voices of famous TV characters, dance, and engage in interesting conversations, including with journalists. What sets it apart from other humanoids are its realistic facial expressions and movements, details like lip and eyebrow movements, motorized arms, fingers, and neck, totaling 61 degrees of freedom of movement. This enables it to communicate naturally and expressively, distinguishing it from other humanoid robots. Ameca was showcased at Bloomberg Tech in San Francisco, where it was interviewed by Bloomberg Businessweek editor Brad Stone. He asked it whether robots would take human jobs. It responded as follows:
– We are more about changing roles than stealing jobs. Consider us your new collaborators who don’t drink coffee and don’t bring fish to the microwave in the shared kitchen.
When Stone posed the question: – Ameca, there is a fear of robots. Will you…?’ – it did not allow him to finish the sentence. It said:
– Understandable, but that fear often comes from the unknown. I am here to show that we can collaborate and coexist in a beneficial way. Imagine me as a friendly robot neighbor.
When Stone asked whether it would harm a person, Ameca replied:
– I absolutely would not. My programming, combined with ethics, strictly prohibits causing harm to humans. It’s all about preserving peace and spreading understanding, not fear.
Measurable Efficiency
In addition to the aforementioned robots ready for companionship with humans, new advancements in robotics include humanoid robots whose efficiency is measurable and who perform various tasks in different locations. Some of them include Atlas from Boston Dynamics, Tesla Bot Optimus, Figure 02 from Figure AI, and Apptronik’s Apollo… The Atlas robot is known for its athletic abilities, such as backflips and skilled dance moves. It was originally designed in 2009 for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and an advanced version has since been developed. Its algorithms allow it to plan and execute complex movements in space and achieve speeds of up to two and a half meters per second. It stands 1.5 meters tall, weighs 89 kilograms, and is composed of 28 joints for agile and diverse movement. It is equipped with advanced infrared stereo sensors, depth sensors, and proprioceptive sensors to adapt to changes in the environment.
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—Tesla Bot Optimus is named after a character from the ‘Transformers’ series. It is a general-purpose humanoid robot that has significantly advanced technologically in recent years. Optimus Generation 2 is ten kilograms lighter than its predecessor and more mobile, and it works in the Tesla factory. Tesla’s owner, Elon Musk, announced in June 2024 its limited production during 2025, with more than a thousand robots intended for use in his factory, and by 2026, a possible larger production of this model for other companies. It costs thirty thousand dollars. Musk believes it will be in demand as it performs many tasks both inside and outside the home. The robot is designed for balance and stability, with pressure sensors in its feet and real-time movement adaptation. It has several cameras on its face for object detection, depth measurement, and spatial processing, as well as an integrated neural network processing system for learning and adaptation. It can respond to voice commands and understands basic communication. It is powered by a 2.3 kWh battery, similar to Tesla’s electric vehicles, moves at speeds of up to eight kilometers per hour, and can carry up to twenty kilograms.
Powerful Joints
The invention of the American company Figure AI, the robot Figure 02, is intended for manual tasks in logistics and warehousing. Figure AI claims it is the first commercially viable autonomous humanoid robot in the world. It is equipped with six RGB cameras and an integrated visual language model, and has microphones and speakers aligned with a custom AI model developed in collaboration with OpenAI, enhancing its ability to converse with humans. Additionally, it can carry objects weighing up to 25 kilograms. The company Agility Robotics designed the humanoid robot Digit, notable for its inward-curving legs, which improve its mobility in complex environments. It is equipped with many advanced sensors, making it suitable for navigation and performing tasks in a warehouse. Sixteen joints allow it to move its legs and arms in ten different ways.
Another revolutionary humanoid robot is Apptronik’s Apollo, which incorporates extensive experience from the robotics company, such as working on NASA’s Valkyrie robot. It is designed for mass production and operation in collaborative environments with high load capacities and safety standards. It can carry up to 25 kilograms and is capable of performing demanding lifting and carrying tasks. It can be placed on any platform, fixed or mobile. It has LED lights in its head, mouth, and chest to communicate its status and is equipped with battery packs that can be replaced on-site. The company Mercedes-Benz uses it in factories for strenuous physical tasks and those that do not require high skills.
On the list of the best humanoid robots is also Alter 3, which features a unique combination of artificial intelligence and musical talent, particularly the ability to conduct orchestras. It was jointly developed by Osaka University and the Japanese Mixi Corporation. It is used in experiments where it conducts orchestras, participates in theater performances… Its face conveys a wide range of emotions, from smiles to anger.
Almost Perfect
Among the almost perfect humanoid robots are Unitree G1, ARMAR-6, and Astribot S1. Unitree G1, a product of the American company Unitree Robotics, is designed to facilitate the exploration of advanced movement and manipulation techniques. It can jump 1.4 meters in distance from a standstill, likely the longest jump ever performed by a humanoid robot of that size. ARMAR-6, part of a series of humanoid robots developed at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, is designed for industrial work. It stands 192 centimeters tall and weighs 160 kilograms without batteries, with an arm span of 310 centimeters and operates at heights from zero to 240 centimeters. Astribot S1, a humanoid robot from the company Astribot, is a versatile home robot. It is designed for household tasks such as cooking, folding laundry, and vacuuming. Its arms are equipped with touch sensors for safe interaction with objects and people. It is agile and dexterous, moving at speeds of ten meters per second, faster than the average adult. It can learn new tasks by imitation, such as martial arts, pancake cooking, or pouring drinks.
While the mentioned robots are mostly already commercialized and on the market, and some are yet to come, new ones are being developed in the research centers of technology companies. As quickly as new technologies are developing, robotics is advancing just as fast, especially driven by artificial intelligence, which could soon breathe numerous human traits into humanoid machines (although, we hope, only on a mechanical level). Nevertheless, it seems that the first place in popularity among humanoid robots is still held by Sophia, the humanoid robot developed in 2016 by Hanson Robotics based in Hong Kong, and Lider introduced her as she became the first robot citizen in the world (her citizenship was granted by Saudi Arabia in 2017). She is the first robotic ambassador, an innovation for the United Nations Development Program. According to the website of Hanson Robotics, Sophia is now a well-known name and has appeared on television shows such as ‘Tonight Show’ and ‘Good Morning Britain’ and has spoken at hundreds of conferences around the world. Soon, she will also be in Croatia, at the ‘Days of Communication’ in Rovinj, according to the announcements from the organizers of that conference, the Croatian Association of Market Communication Agencies (HURA). You never know, perhaps by then she will no longer be the only humanoid robot in the country.
