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During the ’GTC 2024’ conference, Nvidia unveiled the project ‘GR00T’, an initiative aiming to develop versatile robots capable of learning from human actions and language.

Unlike traditional robots designed for specific tasks, these versatile general-purpose robots can adapt to various roles, powered by advancements in AI to enhance autonomous functionalities.

Nvidia’s GR00T initiative aims to train robots that observe and learn from human movements and verbal instructions, emulating actions such as dishwashing merely by watching the process.

This approach represents a departure from the past, where there was heavy reliance on extensive programming required to equip robots for particular tasks.

Nvidia has been at the forefront of robotic development with platforms like ‘Nvidia Isaac Lab’ and applications like ‘Isaac Sim’, alongside services that integrate diverse data types, including text, video, voice, and robot training datasets.

The company also revealed the humanoid robot computing platform, Jetson Thor, at GTC, incorporating next-gen GPUs based on the newly announced Blackwell architecture and high-performance CPU clusters.

Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO, emphasized the importance of building foundational models for general-purpose humanoid robots, noting the global convergence of technologies aimed at advancing the field of robotics.

The competition in robotics isn't limited to Nvidia, because tech giants like Google, Boston Dynamics, Tesla, ABB, Samsung, and LG Electronics have also shared their research breakthroughs and are actively investing in related companies and start-ups.

Google has made significant strides by developing an AI model capable of converting complex reasoning into actionable tasks for machines, such as precise joint movements and positional adjustments, bridging the gap between high-level commands and their physical execution.

In December 2020, Boston Dynamics, in collaboration with NASA, unveiled Au-Spot, an AI-equipped robot tasked with Mars exploration, marking its potential in the field of robotics technology.

Following Spot, their humanoid robot Atlas, featuring 28 joints, showcased unparalleled control and agility with the ability to perform complex maneuvers such as handstands and somersaults.

At Artificial Intelligence Day 2022, Tesla grabbed the attention by revealing Optimus.

This highly advanced robot showed off its skills by handling electric vehicle parts, carefully watering plants, and lifting a half-ton grand piano, offering a sneak peek into the evolving world of robotics.

ABB, a leading robotics development company in Zurich, Switzerland, has introduced IRB 8700, an industrial robot that can stretch 3.5 meters and lifts up to 800 kg to 1,000 kg.

Primarily aimed at material handling tasks, it is perfect for the automotive, transportation, and broader heavy industry fields.

Following ABB’s innovation, major Korean companies such as Samsung and LG have also geared up to enter the robotics development scene, showcasing their commitment to advancing technological solutions.

Samsung Electronics recently appointed robotics expert, Professor Jo Hye-kyung from Hansung University as an advisory director and is known to have invested in related startups and organized teams focusing on robotics.

LG Electronics has also displayed industrial and logistics robots at the recent US 'MODEX' trade show, demonstrating industry interest and commitment to robotics.

Robots, which were once merely a science fiction fantasy, are now entering businesses, factories, and homes globally, propelled by innovations from industry leaders in robotics.

While understanding the full impact of robotics may take time, it's clear that these advancements will significantly transform our world.