Degrees of freedom: Why human dexterity is the holy grail of robotics

Thanks largely to advances in AI, robots are now capable of things never before possible: picking delicate vegetables, moving heavy goods deftly around a warehouse, making pizzas. But there are still limitations to even the most sophisticated and expensive machines. Replicating human dexterity, for example, remains a surprisingly fiendish challenge. While some experts talk about an imminent “ChatGPT moment” for robotics — one that has the potential to completely transform society — it’s not quite clear when this moment will arrive, or what it will mean when it does. In this episode, we explore how new robot technology is reshaping society, the economy and our understanding of what it means to be human.  Featured in this episode: Stefan Glibetic is the founder and CEO of Mycionics, which builds robotic harvesting solutions for the global mushroom industry. Robert Brooks is the founder and CEO of ForceN, which manufactures joints, fingers, wrists and ankles for surgical, industrial and defence/aerospace robots. Tarek Rahim is the co-founder and CEO of Mirsee Robotics, which specializes in building humanoid robots for various commercial sectors. Nick Dechev is an associate professor in the faculty of engineering at the University of Victoria. He is also the founder of and chief technology officer at the Victoria Hand Project, a non-profit providing affordable prosthetic devices around the world. Jason Millar is an associate professor in the faculty of engineering at the University of Ottawa. He is also the Canada Research Chair in ethical engineering of artificial intelligence and robotics and director of the Canadian Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Ethical Design Lab (CRAiEDL). Further reading: New research suggests consistency, not complexity, is the key to teaching robots dexterity The $6 billion Chinese startup trying to build hands for every robot How physical AI is reshaping robotics today — and what comes next Ten ways humanoid robots are about to change everyday life Beyond bionics: How the future of prosthetics is redefining humanity *Subscribe to* Solve for X: Innovations to Change the World here*. And below, find a transcript to “Degrees of freedom.”* *Solve for X is brought to you by MaRS, North America’s largest urban innovation hub and a registered charity. MaRS supports startups and accelerates the adoption of high-impact solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. For more information, visit* marsdd.com*.*