Hanson Robotics based in Hong Kong reported that four models including Sophia, would start rolling out of factories in the first half of 2021, according to Reuters report, Today. Meanwhile, "the world of COVID-19 is going to need more and more automation to keep people safe," founder and chief executive David Hanson explained, standing surrounded by robot heads in his lab.
Moreover, Hanson believes robotic solutions to the pandemic are not limited to healthcare, but could assist customers in industries such as retail and airlines too.
"Sophia and Hanson robots are unique by being so human-like," he added. "That can be so useful during these times where people are terribly lonely and socially isolated." He aims to sell thousands of robots in 2021, both large and small, without providing a specific number.
On other hand, Social robotics professor Johan Hoorn, whose research has included work with Sophia, said that although the technology is still in relative infancy, the pandemic could accelerate a relationship between humans and robots.
Noteworthy, the robots use was on the rise before the pandemic. According to a report by the International Federation of Robotics, worldwide sales of professional-service robots had already jumped 32 per cent to US$11.2 billion between 2018 and 2019.
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