Robotics is the combined effort of science, engineering, and technology that results in devices referred to as robots that mimic or replace human behaviors. Robots have long captivated popular culture, including R2-D2, Prime Optimus, and WALL-E. These exaggerated, humanoid representations of robots typically appear like a parody of the real thing, but may they actually be more futuristic than we think? Robots are developing mechanical and intellectual skills that do not rule out the possibility of an R2-D2-like machine in the future. In the industrial sector, robots are becoming more and more common, and some experts predict that this trend will only continue to grow over time.

By 2022, robotics trends and forecasts will improve the global technology industry. The pandemic presented both challenges and opportunities for logistics and supermarket robotics companies. Unexpected supply chain pressures and product shortages have highlighted the need to improve supply chain efficiency. Various industries have also suffered from labor shortages caused by health and safety regulations. The lessons learned in 2021 can be applied to the goals and trends of the robotics industry in 2022.

Verdict lists the top five terms tweeted on robotics in Q1 2021, based on data from GlobalData's Influencer Platform. The top tweeted terms are the trending industry discussions happening on Twitter by key individuals (influencers) as tracked by the platform. Robots capable of drywalling, managing vertical farms, and assisting in the US space programmes to reach Mars and beyond, were popularly discussed in Q1 2021. Sean Gardner, an executive board member and AI specialist at Resourceful Nonprofit, a provider of free or low-cost technology and training to other non-profit organisations, shared an article on how sensors and AI have advanced in automating the construction industry. Construction robotics company Canvas has built an AI-driven robot that can perform drywalling with human artistry and expertise.

Even massive events like the 54th edition of Consumer Electronics Show (CES) have gone virtual due to the current pandemic. Since 1967, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which is the North American trade association for the consumer technology industry, has been organising the fair, and this year was not going to be any different--well, except they had to take the almost 300,000m${} 2$ from CES 2020 to the cloud. In this post, I mainly put the focus on current and future hardware/robotics trends presented at CES 2021 (because we all love to make predictions, even during uncertain times). "Innovation accelerates and bunches up during economic downturns only to be unleashed as the economy begins to recover, ushering in powerful waves of technological change"--Christopher Freeman, British Economist. With this quote, I start the first session on'my show' of CES 2021, 'Tech trends to watch' by CTA (see their slides here).

Verdict lists the top five terms tweeted on robotics in November 2020, based on data from GlobalData's Influencer Platform. The top tweeted terms are the trending industry discussions happening on Twitter by key individuals (influencers) as tracked by the platform. The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in solving all human problems, its application in chemical research and how it is driving new business models and productivity potential were popularly discussed in November. According to an article shared by Spiros Margaris, a venture capitalist, AI can help solve the world's most challenging problems right from using it to create diagnostic equipment to building unmanned aerial vehicles. The article noted that although some fear that AI and robotics will usurp all human jobs, it is the basis for all technological innovations such as driverless cars, smart personal agents, and autonomous drones, among others.

In March 2017, I joined the MathWorks Student Competitions team to focus on supporting university-level robotics competitions. The competition I spend most time with is RoboCup, which is great because RoboCup contains a variety of leagues and skill levels that keeps me sharp with almost everything going on in the field. Today I will talk about my experience in this role, and what it's been like returning to robotics and academia after more than 5 years away from the field. Let me start with a personal history lesson about my experience in robotics. I am a mechanical engineer with a background in controls, dynamics, and systems.

Automatica 2018 was all about smart automation and robotics for a fast-changing industry. I visited Automatica in Munich, the leading exhibition for smart automation and robotics in Europe. This year, the trade fair had 890 exhibitors and more than 46.000 visitors. These are my main takeaways. For successful automation, robots must become more flexible, easier to train and set up, and the need for complicated, custom-made jigs or magazines must be reduced.

Many organisations are looking to artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and robotics to reduce operational costs, increase efficiency, grow revenue, boost security and improve the customer experience. However, many businesses don't know where to start. With this in mind, the ITWeb Meeting of Minds: Artificial Intelligence 2018 event is hosting two workshops to be held on 2 August, at The Forum, in Bryanston. The first workshop, 'Responsible robotics; what is it and who cares', will be facilitated by Dr Aimee van Wynsberghe, assistant professor of ethics and technology at TU Delft (Netherlands) and president of the Foundation for Responsible Robotics. As the design and development of robotics persists the need for regulation and policy to temper the risk of negative consequences will increase.

Robotics Trends keeps you informed about the robots changing your life.

New York City has nearly 14,000 taxi medallion licenses, but MIT CSAIL researchers say 3,000 four-person taxis could serve 98 percent of demand in NYC.