A skeptic’s guide to the humanoid robots circulating on the Internet

Something to watch out for

There are a few things to keep in mind when watching robot videos even livestreams. First, such robotic demonstrations do not mean that robots are operating without human control or supervision, he said. Deepam PatelPhD student in computer science at Purdue University and a research assistant at the US Army DevCom Army Research Lab. Most shows still rely on users controlling the robots’ actions via telephone.

“Unless a research paper or a company clearly says that (the robot) is autonomous, you have to take it with a grain of salt,” Patel told Ars.

Another question to consider is whether the demonstration shows the robots tackling a new test environment for the first time, or whether the robots are simply repeating a task they have already learned to do in the same training environment. The new testing facility will be particularly impressive for demonstrating robots that can perform random tasks, Patel said.

It’s also worth checking the speed of the videos at each robot show, because “usually the robots are too slow” for safety and other reasons, Patel said. Companies sometimes reveal that video demonstrations of robots run at two to four times the normal speed – meaning that a robot can take two to four times as long as a human to perform the same task.

Robotics videos can also vary in their informative value and exposure. Some are designed to be entertaining presentations that can be broadcast on television, or polished marketing videos from companies looking for new customers and investors. Others may provide more behind-the-scenes look at the robot’s training while acknowledging the robot’s mistakes along the way.

But even if a robot demonstration video looks amazing and comes from a well-known company or research lab, just remember that it’s still only a small snapshot of the big picture. The real indicators of the progress of robotics are not easily laid out for the audience on the Internet.