Humanoid robots from the past to the present

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to provide technical details of humanoid robot developments from the 1970s to the present day and to consider their potential applications and prospects. Design/methodology/approach Following an introduction, this first identifies the motivations for developing humanoid robots. It then provides a technical review of developments conducted between the 1970s and the late 2010s. The most recent developments and their applications are then discussed and the paper concludes with a brief consideration of future prospects. Findings Since the first efforts to develop humanoid robots in Japan, the 1970s, the technology has attracted global interest and progress has been dramatic. Enabled by developments in computing, imaging, sensing, power sources, actuators and other technologies, today’s humanoid robots are agile, stable and capable of all manner of human-like capabilities such as running, climbing stairs and carrying heavy loads. Real-world uses in fields such as construction, assembly, disaster response and home assistance are expected to emerge in the near future as a result of application-specific developments. Originality/value This illustrates the technological evolution of humanoid robots from their inception in the 1970s to the present day.