“The robot of the future will be as affordable as a family car”

The research of Vanderborght and his team is already leading to concrete applications. VUB spin-off Axiles Bionics, for example, develops intelligent ankle-foot prostheses that combine robotics, artificial intelligence, and human biomechanics. The company has been selected for the federal campaign Belgium. Open for Business and will showcase its technology at the World Expo in Osaka in 2025. At the VUB AI Experience Centre in Etterbeek, research also meets entrepreneurship and society: a high-tech test and demo space where companies, researchers, and the wider public collaborate on AI and robotics.

What can humans do so well?
Bram Vanderborght: “Humans have senses, brains, and muscles to observe, explore, and manipulate our surroundings. Robots need to do the same, but with sensors, processors, and motors. Intelligence is not just in our brains, but also in our bodies – what we call embodied intelligence. Our bodies evolved to do things ‘without thinking’, like walking through a forest or picking up a stick. Millions of years of evolution fine-tuned that ability. The challenge is designing robots that can imitate even these seemingly trivial actions as well as possible.”

For that processing, are AI algorithms used more and more?
“Not exclusively. The famous dancing robots from Boston Dynamics (Do You Love Me? on YouTube) don’t actually use artificial intelligence. They rely on models based on Newton’s classical laws of motion – describing the relationship between force and movement. From this, you can precisely calculate the forces needed to spin, jump, or grab an object. That’s called model-based control.

Outside the lab, this often isn’t enough, because the real world is complex and unpredictable. Since we don’t have models for everything, AI steps in. The best robots will combine both: a model-based foundation to prevent unsafe behaviour, such as colliding with humans, and an AI layer to learn new tasks.”

“If robots are to walk among humans, safety will be the number one priority”

Massive data and computing power – that doesn’t sound very sustainable?
“That will indeed be a challenge. Computers controlling self-driving cars already process huge amounts of data and therefore consume enormous energy. Humanoid robots will have hundreds of sensors, so computing power will explode. We’ll need to develop new chips, sensors, hardware and software to cut down energy consumption.”

What other hurdles remain?
“Safety is the number one challenge. Teaching a computer to play chess or running ChatGPT happens in a virtual world. Mistakes don’t hurt anyone. With robots it’s different. They share our physical space. That makes safety an absolute priority. Robots must not harm people, their surroundings, or themselves.”

Like self-driving cars, which still sometimes cause accidents. Are they robots too?
“A modern car isn’t fully autonomous – the driver still needs to stay alert. But with its sensors it can detect the environment and potential risks. In that sense, yes, it’s a robot. The same goes for drones. If you command one to fly forward but it sees a wall, it won’t execute the command. A model aeroplane, by contrast, will crash if you steer it into something – that’s not a robot.”

“In care homes, robots could deliver meals and medication”

So it sounds like a long road ahead?
“In 2023 many new humanoid companies were founded. We’re now at the start of the Gartner Hype Cycle, the curve every new technology follows. First comes buzz. Then hype with inflated expectations. After the peak comes the ‘trough of disillusionment’: the tech isn’t as revolutionary as hoped, and interest dips. Next, realistic applications emerge, leading to practical implementation. In the end, the technology often outperforms expectations. We tend to overestimate the near future and underestimate the distant future. That was true for the mobile phone and AI. It will be true for self-driving cars and robots too.”

Where do you see robots working in that distant future?
“In healthcare, hospitality, agriculture, horticulture… anywhere there’s a shortage of staff. The key is deciding what to automate and what not. In a care home, for instance, a robot could move patients, deliver meals, and bring medication. That frees up caregivers for human contact.”

“Robots won’t steal jobs, they’ll work with us”

So they won’t take away jobs?
“We’ll collaborate. Robots are precise and tireless. Humans are creative and versatile. We complement each other.”

Will everyone be able to afford one?
“Today a humanoid robot is like a Ferrari – hand-built and very expensive. But with mass production, they’ll become as affordable as a regular car. And if you think about all the technology that goes into a car, that’s cheap.”

What role does VUB play in all this?
“Our research group BruBotics coordinates several European research projects and launches spin-offs, hoping to spark entrepreneurship. At the same time, we aim to contribute to the many dimensions of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It remains a huge challenge.”