Science Friday How AI Advances Are Improving Humanoid Robots
Sep 25, 2025
Dr. Karen Liu, a Stanford roboticist, discusses the remarkable advancements in humanoid robots. She introduces Toddy, a toddler-sized robot showcasing speech and perception skills. The conversation covers the convergence of AI and hardware, also highlighting how conversations come easier to robots than physical tasks like walking. Liu explores the challenges of bipedal movement and the scarcity of training data for robots. She even hints at the future with home assistant robots that might tackle chores like laundry or dishwashing, building excitement for a more robotic household.
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Live Demo With Toddy
- Dr. Karen Liu brought Toddy, a toddler-sized humanoid, to the live show and demonstrated conversation and simple interactions.
- Toddy spoke, answered questions, and showed basic speech and perception capabilities on stage.
AI Plus Accessible Hardware
- Advances in AI and converging hardware innovations enable more capable humanoids.
- Cheap 3D printing and off-the-shelf motors make building robots accessible to hobbyists.
Conversation Easier Than Motion
- Conversational ability is now comparatively easy due to large language models.
- Physical skills like balance, walking, and manipulation remain the hardest challenges.
