In my grandfather’s jewelry workshop, I witnessed the volume of repetitive tasks of human creativity—a challenge that inspired me to recreate the dynamics of the workplace through humanoid robotics that complement rather than compete with human workers.
The debate surrounding robots in the workplace often gravitates towards a false dichotomy: human versus machine. As the founder of Humanoid, the UK’s first AI humanoid robotics company, I have observed that this narrative misses the transformative potential of human-robot collaboration.
Human-machine collaboration
In fact, we have already seen a number of successful examples of human-machine collaboration across a number of industries: manufacturing, automotive in particular, healthcare and hospitality.
We’re seeing collaborative robots increasingly improve efficiency and customer service experiences across these industries, from Kime robots serving drinks at stand-alone kiosks in Spain to BMW’s Spartanburg plan using cobots for door assembly tasks.
Another example is ANYmal from Zurich-based Robotic Systems Lab (RSL). Their product ANYmal is a four-legged robot designed for autonomous operation in challenging environments such as industrial inspection. It can navigate complex terrain and carry specialized sensory equipment while weighing less than 30 kg.
RSL has also developed SpaceBok, a lightweight four-legged robot designed to research dynamic leg movement for space exploration, with modular components for various experiments and optimized for explosive jumping maneuvers. In environmental monitoring, the RSL’s ANYmal Dodo robot recently completed a challenging hike, demonstrating the lab’s progress in creating robots capable of traversing difficult outdoor terrain.
Across industries, the promise and potential of human-robot collaboration includes not only increased efficiency and productivity, but also improved safety, more informed decision-making, greater flexibility, 24/7 operations, reduced costs, and great ability to multitask and for humans to focus on higher value priorities.
For example, a Dutch startup Monumental has raised $25 million to develop AI-powered autonomous robots for heavy construction tasks like bricklaying. The idea is that their robots will help alleviate labor shortages and improve efficiency by working alongside human workers to automate mundane, repetitive tasks.
The European approach
The European approach to robotics differs from international counterparts through its emphasis on barrier-free integration and skill retention. While other global players may focus on automation to achieve efficiency gains, European initiatives such as the pioneering Sharework project and SHERLOCK demonstrate a distinct philosophy centered on human-robot collaboration, knowledge transfer from aging workers and democratized access to automation technology.
According to a recent MIT study, aging populations are a major driver of robot adoption in the workplace, with demographic aging accounting for 35% of the variation in robot use between countries, as companies implement automation primarily to fill labor shortages caused by an aging workforce rather than solely for technological progress. This trend, particularly in Europe, has evolved towards collaborative human-robot workplaces, where robots are designed to preserve and augment human expertise rather than replace workers, enabling aging workers to transfer their knowledge while robots handle physically demanding tasks.
This approach prioritizes preserving craftsmanship while making manufacturing more inclusive and accessible to small and medium-sized businesses.
Take for example the Sharework project, where robots work alongside humans without protective barriers, as demonstrated by Goizper Group’s implementation in the Basque Country, where collaborative robots were successfully integrated into their servo-rotating table assembly area for power transmission components.
This isn’t just a technological achievement: it’s a fundamental shift in how we think about security and collaboration in the workplace.
Cobots
These so-called cobots, or collaborative robots, are equipped with advanced sensors and AI systems that allow them to understand and respond to human movements, making them safe enough to share the same workspace as their human counterparts.
The psychological impact of this barrier-free collaboration is profound. When workers see robots as tools that enhance their abilities rather than threats to their employment, workplace anxiety decreases and job satisfaction increases.
At Humanoid, we believe that employees working alongside humanoid robots will be more empowered to focus on creative and strategic tasks, knowing that repetitive or physically demanding work is being handled by their robotic colleagues.
The SHERLOCK initiative, another European initiative, takes this further by developing robots that can learn from human expertise. Instead of programming robots with rigid instructions, these systems observe human workers, learn their techniques and adapt to different scenarios. This approach preserves and enhances human craftsmanship rather than replacing it – a crucial difference in industries where skill and precision matter.
Democratization of production
What is particularly exciting is how this collaborative approach democratizes production.
Traditional industrial robots required extensive programming expertise and significant infrastructure changes, effectively limiting automation to large enterprises.
Modern humanoid robots, designed for human collaboration, are more adaptable and user-friendly. This means that small and medium-sized companies can now access automation technologies.
Furthermore, this collaborative approach opens up manufacturing to a more diverse workforce. By allowing robots to handle physically demanding tasks, we remove traditional barriers that may have prevented certain individuals from entering manufacturing roles.
The European model of human-robot collaboration also addresses a critical challenge: the preservation of manufacturing expertise. As experienced workers retire, their knowledge can be captured and transferred through robots, ensuring that craft and industry-specific skills are not lost. These robots will become not just tools, but repositories of human expertise, working alongside newer employees as both assistants and training aids.
The future of work
Looking ahead, the future of work is not about choosing between humans or robots – it is about creating synergies between both. As we continue to develop more sophisticated humanoid robots, our focus remains on enhancing human potential rather than replacing it. The workplace of tomorrow will be one where humans and robots collaborate seamlessly, each bringing their own unique strengths to the table.
This is not just automation – it is an augmentation of human capacity. And in the future, the question will not be whether robots will take our jobs, but rather how they can help us do our jobs better, safer and with greater satisfaction.
We have featured the best software for small businesses.
This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel, where we feature the best and brightest minds in the tech industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing, you can read more here:
