Strangest and most advanced robots in the world, from humanoids to robotic dogs: here is our top 10

When it comes to roboticsyou can expect everything from sophisticated humanoids with advanced artificial intelligence to the most curious and bizarre devices. This variety responds not only to industrial and technological needs, but often also lends itself to curiosity and experimentation. In fact, some robots are so advanced that they seem to have come out of a science fiction film, while others leave you perplexed by their appearance or the unusual abilities they possess. We have selected between those conceived for concrete purposes and those created as a demonstration of technological potential the 10 strangest robots in 2024.

AMECA: the most expressive robot in the world

AMECAdeveloped by the British company Engineered Artsis considered “the most advanced humanoid robot in the world” due to its high expressiveness. In fact, AMECA manages to simulate emotions through facial micro-expressions, which it transmits with surprising naturalness. His face can smile, show surprise or discomfort, making him one of the most realistic robots around (and, in our opinion, also one of the most disturbing).

ATLAS by Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics is an iconic name in the robotics industry, famous for robots capable of extremely complex movements such as running, jumping and even parkour. ATLASthe company’s flagship humanoid robot, is an entirely electrically powered concentration of power and agility. With a vaguely anthropomorphic-looking design, ATLAS was designed to perform complex actions such as working in harsh and crowded environments.

Unitree G1: the robot that can do everything and nothing

The G1 Of Unittree Roboticsa Chinese company specializing in robotics, is a small humanoid robot that stands out for its not exactly accessible price ($16,000). It is capable of performing relatively complex movements, which make it potentially very versatile, even if it does not have a well-defined intended use, at least this is what we think after observing it in action in the following video.

Menteebot: the robot that pushes your shopping cart

A completely different story though Menteebotdesigned as a household helper for humans, capable of lifting heavy objects and various loads, which can make it suitable for carrying out many household tasks, such as carrying boxes, cleaning and even pushing the shopping cart for us.

Figure AI: the robot that obeys voice commands

Developed in collaboration with OpenAIthe robot AI figures he can respond to voice commands and interact verbally with those around him, which could make him useful in various contexts, both work and non-work. However, like many humanoid robots, it is not particularly fast, which currently constitutes its major limitation.

ARTEMIS: the soccer robot

ARTEMIS is the name of a robot developed by a team fromUniversity of Californiadesigned for playing football. This robot has the ambition of becoming the first to win a robot World Cup by 2050, participating in the global robot football competition called RoboCup. Although it is still far from reaching the dexterity of a human footballer, ARTEMIS represents an interesting experiment in the field of sports robotics and the simulation of human movements.

Neo Beta: the robot that prepares coffee

Created by the company 1Xthis is humanoid robot is developed to be used in domestic environments. While it can theoretically perform various tasks such as making coffee, folding laundry, and giving hugs, Neo Beta it still has limited capabilities and cannot be fully integrated into daily activities.

SlothBot: the robot as slow as a sloth

The SlothBot it is a harmless-looking robot, designed to move slowly on taut cables and monitor the natural environment. Powered by solar energy, it is designed to collect data on the microclimate in difficult-to-reach areas, remaining in a single ecosystem for a long time. This approach, inspired by the slowness of sloths (hence the name “Sloth”), makes it an excellent solution for gathering information without interfering with the natural ecosystem in which it is located.

TRUE: the robot that cleans the beaches

REAL he is a robot with an ecological mission: to clean the beaches of cigarette butts. Its seemingly simple design integrates small vacuum cleaners and sensors that allow it to effectively identify and remove waste. VERO is an example of how robotics can be used for environmental protection, offering a truly useful service to fight pollution.

Thermonator: the flame-throwing robot dog

Let’s conclude in beauty this top 10 with Thermonatora name that says it all. Developed by the American company Throwflamethis robot dog equipped with a flamethrower, is inspired by the famous Boston Dynamics Commercial, but is decidedly more dangerous. Sold for $9,000, it can only be used in countries that allow the possession of flamethrowers. It could find some use in some specific contexts, such as counterfire operations in forest emergencies.