Earlier this month, an unusual guardian was spotted patrolling the area around Mar-a-Lago, President-elect Donald Trump’s Florida home.
It wasn’t a member of a local militia. It was something far more futuristic.
Think The Terminator on four-legs…
Except this isn’t science fiction.
The U.S. Secret Service confirmed that the area was being secured by a “robotic dog.”
Now, they’re keeping details about this “robot dog’s” full capabilities under wraps…
But we do know that this high-tech security robot was supplied by Boston Dynamics, and it comes with a range of advanced surveillance tools designed to protect Trump and his team.
This revelation comes on the heels of news out of China, where a robotics company called Deep Robotics unveiled a new “robot dog” of its own.
This four-legged robot on wheels is called Lynx, and it can jump, climb and back-flip across difficult terrain with ease.
Here’s what it looks like:
Photo: Deep Robotics
Deep Robotics was established in 2017 and has emerged as a major player in the development of quadrupedal “robot dogs.”
But it’s not the only type of robot the company is making.
With its DR01 robot, Deep Robotics is positioning itself as China’s answer to Elon Musk’s Tesla Optimus, seen here contemplating its rosy future.
Source: Wikicommons
Clearly, Optimus is no dog. DR01 isn’t either.
They’re both humanoid robots…
And we could start seeing a lot more of them soon.
Musk is particularly bullish about the long-term potential of Optimus. He says he believes his humanoid robot will ultimately become “the biggest product of any kind ever.”
He also believes Optimus has the potential to make Tesla a $25 trillion company.
But that’s not even the crazy part.
See, Musk is on record that he thinks humanoid robots will outnumber humans globally within the next two decades.
More Humans Than People
During an appearance at the Future Investment Initiative in October, Musk said: “I think by 2040, there will probably be more humanoid robots than there are people.”
In other words, he’s predicting there will be around 10 billion humanoid robots on the planet by 2040.
That might sound like wishful thinking on Elon’s part, but it’s not outside of the realm of possibilities.
After all, Optimus robots are already popping up on Tesla factory floors, and he says they’ll enter limited production sometime next year.
Musk has a knack for being a first mover in rapidly emerging markets, so I’m not dismissing his bold prediction.
Because I understand how the advancement of artificial intelligence will go hand in hand with robotics to redefine our future.
Thanks to AI, we can expect robots to become more autonomous, more collaborative and more ubiquitous across virtually every sector of the economy over the next few years.
And though some people might find that prospect frightening, I’m convinced it’s a good thing.
Not only because robots have the potential to improve our lives in numerous ways…
But by identifying the sectors where robotics will have the biggest impact in the near-term, we can invest appropriately.
Where Are All the Robots?
One of the sectors on my radar is e-commerce.
We already have autonomous mobile robots zipping through warehouses, retrieving items and helping to load trucks.
And as e-commerce continues its relentless growth, logistics and fulfillment present a huge opportunity for the industry.
Robots are even starting to take the wheel for short-haul and last-mile deliveries, and I expect we’ll see much more of that kind of automation going forward.
The global warehouse robotics market is projected to reach $8.5 billion in 2025…
So we’ll keep an eye out for opportunities in this sector.
And we’ll do the same for the healthcare industry, where robots are already being used to transport patients, retrieve supplies and sterilize equipment…
Surgical robots are allowing doctors to perform complex procedures through tiny incisions…
They’re even being used to help rehabilitate people with mobility challenges.
We can soon expect robotic assistants to become invaluable partners for physicians, nurses and physical therapists…
And the amount of healthcare companion robots that provide emotional support and companionship for children, the elderly and disabled people are expected to nearly double over the next four years.
Yet there’s still room for massive growth in the healthcare industry, with some estimates suggesting the healthcare robotics market could reach $20 billion by 2026.
And we could see even bigger immediate growth in the manufacturing sector.
We’re already seeing machines working seamlessly alongside human workers.
And as robots continue to become more adaptable, autonomous and collaborative, factories of the future will leverage intelligent automation for everything from assembly to quality control to material handling.
PwC predicts the global market for industrial robotics will grow to $54 billion by 2027…
And new possibilities for robotics are being unlocked every day.
We’ll cover more of them in future issues.
In the meantime, you might want to start thinking up a name for your future robot dog companion.
Regards,
Ian King
Chief Strategist, Banyan Hill Publishing
