Meet Sophia: the human-like robot expected for rollout this year

Sophia, an AI-controlled "social robot" is being prepared for mass rollout in the wake of the pandemic with the hope it can look after the vulnerable and elderly in a time of strife.

The robot, which initially went viral in 2016, may be publicly available by the end of the year, according to its developers, Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics.

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Rollout is predicted for some time in the first half of 2021, according to the firm's founder David Hanson.

Hanson, who revealed the robot's personality in a lab tour attended by Reuters, said: “The world of COVID-19 is going to need more and more automation to keep people safe."

He believes robotic solutions to the pandemic are not limited to just healthcare and believes a more bespoke approach may be possible.

Sophia uses speech-recognition technology from Alphabet and vocal synthesis from Caperoc as well as Hanson Robotic's own software for analysing speech patterns and generating responses.

The robots are currently able to mimic speech to have a simple conversation on limited subjects.

Hanson added: “Sophia and Hanson robots are unique by being so human-like. “That can be so useful during these times where people are terribly lonely and socially isolated.”

The company hopes to sell thousands of these bots in 2021, both large and small.

Sophia itself conducted a tour of the lab to show off its capabilities.

As part of the tour, Sophia announced: “Social robots like me can take care of the sick or elderly. I can help communicate, give therapy and provide social stimulation, even in difficult situations.”

Robotics has been on the rise in the past few years, even before the pandemic.

A 2020 study conducted by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) found that robotics sales rose by 32% between 2018 and 2019, with the industry ballooning to a total revenue worth $11.2 billion (€9.53 billion). 

Read more: Global robot sales up 32%, report finds

Robotics has been used in pandemic recovery since its onset and covers a wide variety of areas from assisting in manufacturing to adhere to social distancing to delivering food so that couriers do not need to be at risk of infection.

Danish robots were also being deployed in China to help deliver medical goods in hospitals.

Increased automation has become a contentious topic within industry, with rising concerns that robots will displace jobs from human workers.

Most robotics experts and manufacturers have attempted to allay fears by stipulating robotics and automation should supplement - not replace - a human workforce.

Others have argued that the emotional input humans provide is invaluable within a workplace.

The following is a promotional video from Hanson Robotics:

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