Newer and trending technologies are not only limited to emerging software technologies, but also extend to robotics, which are making great impacts in the industries of manufacturing, healthcare, transportation and agriculture.

According to the HCLTech Trends 2024 report, the field of advanced robotics is seeing rising accessibility, flexibility and scalability. The field is rapidly evolving and ongoing research and development continues to advance the capabilities of robots, thus making them increasingly useful and scalable in a wide range of applications.

Robotics combines expertise in various fields, including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, AI and others. This combination of expertise leads to the creation of machines that can sense, think and act in the real world. In today’s technology landscape, robots are becoming smaller, lighter and more flexible, enabling them to operate in more challenging environments and perform tasks that were previously impossible.

The trending robotics landscape

As the field becomes more and more advanced, robotics is poised to disrupt various industries including manufacturing, healthcare, logistics and agriculture by automating routine and hazardous tasks, which will enable new forms of production and service delivery while also revolutionizing human-robot collaboration.

“In collaborative and critical environments such as healthcare and manufacturing, robotics now come with optimized productivity, more reliability, improved quality and safety features that are enhanced by advanced deep learning algorithms,” Executive VP and Global Business Head of IoTWoRKs at HCLTech, Sukant Acharya said. “More and more, sectors, businesses and industries are beginning to prefer robotic automation as a solution.”

The growing interest in robotics is driven by its potential to automate tasks, improve productivity and reduce costs. According to the trends report, 47% of respondents said that automating repetitive tasks will be revolutionized with the integration of robots in technology.

The rise of autonomous robotics

The growing demand for autonomous robots stems from a range of compelling benefits they offer, including enhanced efficiency, precision, safety and cost-effectiveness. Autonomous robots can help make lives safer, easier and more efficient while also creating new jobs and opportunities.

As robotics continue to develop, the HCLTech Trends 2024 report says we can expect to see even greater applications of autonomous robots in the years to come. The market size for autonomous robotics is expected to reach $4.1 billion by 2028. With advanced robotics, AI and enhanced sensor technologies on the horizon, more intricate and real-world applications of robotics will come to light.

As environments begin to change rapidly, autonomous robots can be programmed to adapt to changing environments and task requirements — making them versatile tools for a variety of applications,” said Acharya. “They can also be scaled up or down, depending on the needs of the specific operation.”

Adopting autonomous robotics technology comes with various challenges that organizations will need to overcome, including ensuring the safety of humans and property when autonomous robots operate in dynamic and uncontrolled environments. Accidents and unexpected behavior can pose safety risks for organizations.

Other challenges include developing and maintaining autonomous systems that are technically complex and require expertise in various fields, such as robotics, AI and sensors. Autonomous robots may also face ethical challenges, such as decision-making in scenarios with moral implications, raising questions about accountability and responsibility. Additionally, autonomous systems can be vulnerable to hacking, which can lead to potential misuse, safety breaches or data theft.

Semi-autonomous robotics trending upwards

The potential for semi-autonomous robotics to cause disruption in the market is rising due to the opportunities for profitability and the potential to contribute to revenue streams that are apart from other business and operational benefits.

Semi-autonomous robots offer balance between the advantages of autonomous robots and the control and oversight provided by human supervision. This mitigates the risks associated with fully autonomous systems while still allowing for automation and efficiency gains.

The business value of semi-autonomous robotics can be created for various sectors such as retail and healthcare. Semi-autonomous robots can enhance customer experiences in these sectors by providing a human touch while benefiting from automation.

Additionally, semi-autonomous robots are well-suited for long-term deployments in industries that require both precision and adaptability and provide lower upfront investment and maintenance costs of semi-autonomous robots that make them a more cost-effective option for businesses with limited budgets. Semi-autonomous robots also provide a smoother transition for businesses and workers, allowing for gradual adoption and scalability as needs evolve.

Adopting autonomous and semi-autonomous robotics is of great benefit for organizations seeking to scale their enterprises and meet growing demands of the customer and of the industry. Businesses are becoming increasingly concerned about the safety of their workers and robotics can help reduce the risk of accidents and injuries by automating tasks that are hazardous for humans. Furthermore, robotics can help businesses to collect and analyze data that can be used to improve operations.

Business tasks are becoming substantially more complex, making it difficult for humans to keep up with the demands of their jobs, but autonomous and semi-autonomous robotics can help to perform complex tasks that are difficult or impossible for humans to do, increase revenue streams and reduce costs.