Robots in human form are well on their way to making science fiction a reality. For example, by becoming the kind of workforce that will provide elderly care and collect garbage in the streets. Either because we lack the workforce or don't want to do that kind of work ourselves. At this year's robot fair in Odense, Robotbrag 2025, you can see a humanoid robot in Denmark for the first time.
Here you will meet the 130-centimeter-tall humanoid robot, which with its clumsy steel body walks with relatively quick steps and shakes hands. It has two arms, two legs and a kind of head with a hole through it, so you can see out the other side of the mechanical body.
The robot is Chinese and the first of its kind in Denmark. It falls under the category of humanoid robot, which is a machine that imitates human movements.
Can become part of the workforce of the future
Professional manager at the Danish Technological Institute Søren Peter Johansen believes that the humanoid robot can become a valuable part of the future labor market.
- There are a lot of logistics tasks that can be solved by these robots. For example, it could be warehouse work, where they lift and move things. And it could be work where they go and collect garbage, he says and adds:
- For example, I can imagine that it could go into Assistens Cemetery at night and clean up.
Søren Peter Johansen also says that the Chinese are betting heavily on the humanoid robot because of a future shortage of labor in elderly care. According to Søren Peter Johansen, we may have similar problems in Denmark.
- Would we rather sit on the toilet for three hours and wait for an assistant to wipe us - or instead have a robot that comes and does it right away? With the robot, you are self-reliant and not dependent on others, he says.
It is still difficult to say when the humanoid robot will be used in the Danish labor market.
- We humans tend to overestimate technology in the short term and underestimate it in the long term. I believe that humanoid robots will be all over Denmark in ten years, says Søren Peter Johansen.
The robot can think for itself
The robot at the fair in Odense was imported from China and is of the Unitree G1 type. The Danish company Hive Robots is responsible for buying it and selling it to Danish customers.
- The new thing about the robot is that you can put something similar to ChatGPT into it, says Jakob Sand, director of Hive Robots, and adds:
- This means that it can think for itself and be in an environment where we humans also behave.
This means, according to Jakob Sand, that "humans and robots really need to work together".
- I understand if someone finds it intimidating. We have to get used to it, as we humans have had to with many other technologies, he says.
Odense Municipality has also become acquainted with the humanoid robot.
- There is still a long way to go before it can solve tasks on a daily level in the municipality. The technology is simply not there yet, says Thor Ellegaard, who is the program manager for the World's Best Robot City in Odense Municipality.
- We really need to see that the robot can more specifically solve a task that creates value for people.
However, Thor Ellegaard adds that he "has no doubt that we will get there at some point".
He just doesn't know if it's closer to 50 than ten years.
Energinet sees potential
Energinet's innovation department has also taken a position on the use of humanoid robots and sees "definitely a potential in them to automate tasks that no one wants to do".
- We have, among other things, some inspection and maintenance tasks at our offshore stations in the North and Baltic Seas, says Alexander Frederiksen, speaking on behalf of Energinet innovation department.
According to him, there is a big risk factor in investing in a Chinese robot, like the one being shown at the robot fair in Odense.
- As a rule, Chinese technology is a no go. Especially when we are talking about supply-critical infrastructure in Denmark. There is too great a risk that something could potentially be monitored, says Alexander Frederiksen.
The Robot Brag of the Year is organized by the Danish Technological Institute in collaboration with the Danish Robot Network (Dira).
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