Hanson Robotics

In 2013, the company moved from Texas to Hong Kong Science Park{{Cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/lifelike-robots-meant-win-over-humans/4211179.html|title=Lifelike Robots Made in Hong Kong Meant to Win Over Humans|website=Voice of America|language=en|date=2018-01-16|access-date=2019-01-12}} and planned to develop a robotics hub in Hong Kong.{{Cite web|url=https://www.startmeup.hk/2017/11/30/say-hello-to-humanoid-robots-3/|title=SAY HELLO TO HUMANOID ROBOTS|website=StartMeUp HK|language=en|date=2017-11-30|access-date=2019-01-12}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/technology/article/1513567/robotics-guru-david-hanson-hopes-turn-city-hive-android|title=Robot expert planning to turn Hong Kong into android city|website=South China Morning Post|language=en|date=2014-05-19|access-date=2019-01-12}}

In October 2016, the company was selected as one of nine companies to join the Disney Accelerator program.{{Cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/disney-accelerator-showcases-nine-startups-at-2016-demo-day-300344801.html|title=Disney Accelerator Showcases Nine Startups at 2016 Demo Day|last=Company|first=The Walt Disney|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=2017-12-20}}

The company has focused on building robots that mimic the look of humans.

{{Main|Sophia (robot)}}

File:Sophia at the AI for Good Global Summit 2018 (27254369347) (cropped).jpg

Sophia is Hanson Robotics' most well-known robot, is regularly featured in news outlets, and receives a great deal of public interest. The company's latest creation made her debut at the 2016 South by Southwest (SXSW) show, with her interview by CNBC reaching a broad audience.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/16/could-you-fall-in-love-with-this-robot.html|title=Could you fall in love with robot Sophia?|last=Taylor|first=Harriet|date=2016-03-16|work=CNBC|access-date=2017-12-20}} Since then, she has become a global media personality, having conducted numerous press interviews and appeared on broadcast television shows including CBS 60 Minutes with Charlie Rose,{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-charlie-rose-interviews-a-robot-sophia/|title=Charlie Rose interviews…a robot?|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en}} the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,{{Citation|last=The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon|title=Tonight Showbotics: Snakebot, Sophia, eMotion Butterflies|date=2017-04-25|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_tJvCA8zw|accessdate=2017-12-20}} and Good Morning Britain.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWlL4KjIP4M|title=Humanoid Robot Tells Jokes on GMB!|work=Good Morning Britain|via=YouTube|date=2017-06-21|access-date=2019-01-12}} She has also been a keynote and panel speaker at global conferences and events,[https://medium.com/@eripsa/sophia-and-her-critics-5bd22d859b9c Medium][https://www.businessinsider.com/sophia-the-robot-blurs-line-between-human-and-machine-2017-10 Business Insider] including those hosted by ITU,{{Cite news|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/saudi-arabia-gives-robot-citizenshipand-more-freedoms-human-women-180967007/|title=Why Saudi Arabia Giving a Robot Citizenship Is Firing People Up|last=Katz|first=Brigit|date=2017-11-02|work=Smithsonian Magazine|access-date=2019-01-12}} United Nations.{{Cite web|url=http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57860#.Wd71SROCzfZ|title=UN News - At UN, robot Sophia joins meeting on artificial intelligence and sustainable development|last=Section|first=United Nations News Service|date=2017-10-11|website=UN News Service Section|language=en|access-date=2017-12-20}}

Sophia was featured in AUDI's annual report{{Cite web|url=http://www.audi.com/en/company/Business/2016_annual_report/visionary.html|title=AI's Age|website=www.audi.com|access-date=2017-12-20|archive-date=2017-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222052514/http://www.audi.com/en/company/Business/2016_annual_report/visionary.html|url-status=dead}} and has graced the cover and centerfold of ELLE Magazine.{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BNhvUfTgNjY/|title=Instagram post by ELLE Brasil • Dec 2, 2016 at 7:52pm UTC|website=Instagram|language=en|access-date=2017-12-20}} Sophia is also the first United Nations Development Programme's first ever Innovation Champion, and the first non-human to be given any UN title.{{Cite web|url=http://www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2017/11/22/rbfsingapore.html|title=UNDP in Asia and the Pacific Appoints World's First Non-Human Innovation Champion|website=UNDP in Asia and the Pacific|language=en|access-date=2017-12-20|archive-date=2018-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709173848/http://www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2017/11/22/rbfsingapore.html|url-status=dead}} In 2018, Sophia won an Edison Award for Innovation in that competition's robotics category.{{Cite web|url=http://www.edisonawards.com/winners2018.php|title=Edison Awards |website=www.edisonawards.com|access-date=2018-07-09}}

Alice was developed in 2008 for MIRA Labs in Geneva, Switzerland.{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sophia-robot-hanson-robotics-other-humanoids-2017-11#/#in-2008-hanson-developed-alice-the-robot-was-created-for-mira-labs-in-geneva-switzerland-4)|title=The first robot citizen has 7 humanoid 'siblings' -- here's what they look like|last=Weller|first=Chris|date=2017-11-13|work=Business Insider Australia|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en}} The female robot has an emotionally expressive face. She acts to serve cognitive robotics research at the University of Geneva and is part of the INDIGO cognitive robotics consortium,{{Cite web|url=http://www.ics.forth.gr/indigo/)|title=FORTH-ICS: Welcome note by the Director of FORTH-ICS|website=www.ics.forth.gr|access-date=2017-12-20}} where Hanson Robotics is a founding member.

{{main|Albert HUBO}}

File:Einstein-Hubo.jpg

Albert Einstein HUBO was,{{Cite news|url=https://www.depauw.edu/news-media/latest-news/details/33398/|title='Meet the Future' at a Feb. 28 Ubben Lecture Featuring David Hanson and His Robot Creation, Sophia - DePauw University|work=DePauw University|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en|archive-date=2018-11-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121104128/https://www.depauw.edu/news-media/latest-news/details/33398/|url-status=dead}} developed in November 2005 in collaboration with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) HUBO group of Korea. Inspired by German-born theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, the expressive walking humanoid featured Einstein's head on a HUBO robot body. KAIST built the walking body, and Hanson Robotics built the animatronic head and the face, which uses elastic polymer called Frubber.{{Cite web|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/033010-hubo-ii-humanoid-robot-is-lighter-and-faster|title=Hubo II Humanoid Robot Is Lighter and Faster, Makes His Creator Proud|website=IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News|language=en|access-date=2017-12-20|date=2010-03-31}}

The robot debuted at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in November 2005.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna10085890|title=Einstein robot the star of high-tech show|date=2005-11-18|work=msnbc.com|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en}}

Albert Einstein HUBO can perform realistic facial expressions and mimic Albert Einstein's voice via a voice synthesizer.{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/einstein-robot-albert-hub_n_363953|title=Einstein Robot 'Albert Hubo' Physicist Back To Life (VIDEO)|date=2010-03-18|work=HuffPost Canada|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en-CA}} The robot is currently at the University of California, San Diego at the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2).

{{Main|BINA48}}

BINA48 (Breakthrough Intelligence via Neural Architecture 48) is a humanoid robot who has a bust-like head and shoulders mounted on a frame, and can produce realistic facial appearance from 30 motors beneath her Frubber skin.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/05/science/05robotside.html|title=Trying to Forge a Friendship With a Robot Named Bina48|last=Harmon|first=Amy|date=2010-07-04|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} She was released by Hanson in 2010. She is described as a "technological sketch" of a human being, commissioned by millionaire Martine Rothblatt to mimic the appearance of her spouse of over 35 years, Bina Rothblatt.{{Cite web|url=http://www.addisonindependent.com/?q=node/10675|title=Robot blurs biological boundaries {{!}} Addison County Independent|website=www.addisonindependent.com|language=en|access-date=2017-12-20}}

BINA48 includes a database with dozens of books which she is able to recite.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/05/science/05robotside.html|title=Trying to Forge a Friendship With a Robot Named Bina48|last=Harmon|first=Amy|date=2010-07-04|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} BINA48 is currently stationed at the non-profit Terasem Movement Foundation, Inc.

Han debuted in 2015 at the Global Sources electronics fair in Hong Kong. The robot was designed to identify and replicate human expressions. He is able to detect people using an array of cameras and speech recognition technology, decipher their gender, age, and facial indications of emotion (i.e. happy or sad), and as such, Hanson Robotics has suggested the robot could be of use in hotels or customer service positions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/han-realistic-humanoid-robot-video|title=Han is a spookily realistic humanoid robot|last=Temperton|first=James|access-date=2017-12-20}} Han is bald with masculine features. He possesses a British accent, and specializes in making humorous facial expressions.

Jules debuted in 2006 at Wired Nextfest. Jules is a robot that has machine learning capabilities, face tracking, and facial recognition.{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sophia-robot-hanson-robotics-other-humanoids-2017-11#/#at-the-2006-wired-nextfest-hanson-robotics-unveiled-its-next-humanoid-jules-2|title=The first robot citizen has 7 humanoid 'siblings' -- here's what they look like|last=Weller|first=Chris|date=2017-11-13|work=Business Insider Australia|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en}} His software was development by Hanson Robotics in collaboration with the Personality Forge AI Chatbot Platform, with Personality Forge founder and developer, Benji Adams, and AI developer Heather McKeen. Jules is described as having a "statistically perfect androgynous face".{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/jules-robot-goodbye/|title=Watch and cry as Jules the robot says goodbye to his creator|date=2014-12-12|work=The Daily Dot|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en-US}} The robot currently resides at the University of West England in Bristol.

Professor Einstein is Hanson Robotics' first personal robot available to consumers. The robot was developed in 2016 and was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/coolest-thing-at-ces-2017-robots-steal-show/ar-BBxZWa0?li=BBnbcA1|title=Coolest thing at CES 2017? Robots steal show|website=www.msn.com|access-date=2017-12-20}} The robot first became available for purchase to consumers in January 2017 after launching on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, and later became available on Amazon and at other popular retailers across the United States.

Professor Einstein is marketed as an educational tool to teach science, primarily to children ages 8–13.{{Cite web|url=http://professoreinstein.com|title=Professor Einstein Robot Science Educational Toy|website=Professor Einstein|access-date=2017-12-20}} The robot can speak about science, tell jokes, and connect to Wifi to check the weather or access information on the internet. It has a corresponding app called the Stein-O-Matic that offers games, videos, and lessons.{{Cite web|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/professor-einstein-is-a-fun-wacky-robot-that-loves-to-talk-about-science|title=Professor Einstein Is a Fun, Wacky Robot That Loves to Talk About Science|website=IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News|language=en|access-date=2017-12-20|date=2017-07-21}} Motors allow it to walk, make different facial expressions, and an on-chest camera tracks faces.{{Cite web|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/professor-einstein-is-a-fun-wacky-robot-that-loves-to-talk-about-science|title=Professor Einstein Is a Fun, Wacky Robot That Loves to Talk About Science|website=IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News|language=en|access-date=2017-12-20|date=2017-07-21}}

File:2019 - Press conferences - Day 2 061119SMcC0008 (49024444378).jpg

Philip K. Dick Android was shown publicly for the first time in 2005 at Wired Nextfest.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/lost-philip-k-dick-android-back-with-loud-shirts/|title=Lost Philip K. Dick android back with loud shirts|work=CNET|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en}} He was designed as an android portrait of the American science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, and was programmed to contain thousands of pages of the writings of the author, including journals and letters, into a Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) corpus and conversational system construct android.{{Cite news|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2012/06/philip_k_dick_robot_an_android_head_of_the_science_fiction_author_is_lost_forever_.html|title=The Android Head of Philip K. Dick|last=Bosch|first=Torie|date=2012-06-01|work=Slate|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en-US|issn=1091-2339}}

In 2005, Hanson and team received an AAAI award for their "intelligent conversational portrait" of Philip K. Dick.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pkdandroid.org/robotic-portrait.htm|title=The Philip K Dick Android Project|website=www.pkdandroid.org|access-date=2017-12-20}} In 2005, the original robot was lost on a plane headed for San Francisco and was never found.{{Cite news |last=Schneider |first=Howard |date=2013-06-27 |title=How to build an Android: the real story of Phillip K. Dick's robotic resurrection |url=https://thehumanist.com/magazine/july-august-2013/arts_entertainment/how-to-build-an-android-the-true-story-of-philip-k-dicks-robotic-resurrection |access-date=2017-12-20 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}

In 2011, in collaboration with Dutch public broadcaster VPRO, Hanson Robotics developed and introduced a new version of the android.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/lost-philip-k-dick-android-back-with-loud-shirts/|title=Lost Philip K. Dick android back with loud shirts|work=CNET|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en}} The android bust uses 36 servomotors to create facial expressions and has motion-tracking machine vision .{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2005/06/nextfest/|title=NextFest 2005|author=Wired Staff|magazine=WIRED|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en-US}}

Philip K. Dick Android is currently dedicated to research with the nonprofit Apollo Mind Initiative.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/lost-philip-k-dick-android-back-with-loud-shirts/|title=Lost Philip K. Dick android back with loud shirts|work=CNET|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en}}

Zeno debuted in 2007 at Wired Nextfest. The robot could see, hear, and talk. Zeno featured more than 28 specialized motors, an agile body, and expressive face. Named for creator David Hanson's son Zeno and designed as a nod to Astro Boy,{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna20754739|title=Zeno robot learns through artificial intelligence|website=newatlas.com|language=en|access-date=2017-12-20|date=2007-09-13}} In 2012, an updated version of Zeno was released, which included Dynamixel RX-28 and RX-64 servos, plus a sensor suite comprising a gyro, accelerometer, compass, torque sensors, touch sensors, and temperature sensors, as well as more cartoon-like features.{{Cite web|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/hanson-robokind|title=Next-Gen Zeno R-50 Puts a Face on Research Robots|website=IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News|language=en|access-date=2017-12-20}}

Joey Chaos was unveiled by Hanson Robotics at the 2007 RoboBusiness Conference and Expo in Boston, MA.{{Cite news|url=https://gizmodo.com/263573/joey-the-rocker-robot-more-conscious-than-some-humans|title=Joey the Rocker Robot, More Conscious Than Some Humans|last=White|first=Charlie|work=Gizmodo|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en-US}} The robot was created to study human-robot interaction{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2017/03/22/blogs/robots-have-existential-crises-too/s/22-lens-robots-slide-UWSR.html|title=Robots Have Existential Crises, Too|website=The New York Times |date=2017-03-22|language=en-US|access-date=2017-12-20}} and has camera eyes to track human faces and speech recognition software.{{Cite news|url=https://gizmodo.com/263573/joey-the-rocker-robot-more-conscious-than-some-humans|title=Joey the Rocker Robot, More Conscious Than Some Humans|last=White|first=Charlie|work=Gizmodo|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en-US}}

{{more sources|section|date=May 2023}}

Hanson Robotics' humanoid robotics have been criticized by leading AI researchers. For example, Facebook's Yann LeCun has called Sophia a "puppet" and questioned the value of Sophia and similar robots, as well as the presentation of these robots as far more intelligent than what they truly are.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/18/16904742/sophia-the-robot-ai-real-fake-yann-lecun-criticism|title=Facebook's head of AI really hates Sophia the robot (and with good reason)|work=The Verge}}

Sophia being given citizenship in Saudi Arabia was further criticized, not only because of Sophia's lack of consciousness, but the difficulty of people achieving citizenship in that country despite actually living and working there for years

.{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/noelsharkey/2018/11/17/mama-mia-its-sophia-a-show-robot-or-dangerous-platform-to-mislead/#32f52a987ac9|title=Mama Mia It's Sophia: A Show Robot Or Dangerous Platform To Mislead?|work=Forbes}}

• Gold Medal, Edison Innovation Awards, 2018
• Winner of 2009 Italian Centro Nationale Riserche (CNR) Scholarship, 2008–2009
• Winner of TechTitan's Innovator of the Year award, 2007
• Winner of TX State Emerging Technology Award, 2007
• Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Best Design Triennial, December 2006
• UTA ARRI Innovation Award, February 2006
• 2005 AAAI award, First Place for Open Interaction (PKD Android)
• NIST ATP Award, "Highly meritorious" designation, 2004 (with funding pending the 2005 Congressional spending bill)
• World Technology Award, nominee and semifinalist: Best IT Hardware, 2004
• Themed Entertainment Association, Best Themed Display Award, First Place for the "World of Disney Themed Store" at Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL, 1996
• Rhode Island School of Design Merit Award, 1992-1996

• Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) since 2000
• Member, American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) since 2001
• Member, SPIE since 2001
• Member, Visual Sciences Society (VSS) since 2003

{{incomplete citations|date=May 2023}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.hansonrobotics.com/}}

{{Electronics industry in China}}

Category:Robotics companies of China

Category:Manufacturing companies of Hong Kong

Category:Hong Kong brands