In my view, Generation X is the generation most heavily exposed to visions of a future where robots coexist with humans. It began in 1976 with *Star Wars*, introducing C-3PO—a protocol droid versed in countless protocols and capable of understanding six million languages from across the cosmos—and R2-D2, a trusty assistant for navigating starships across the galaxy. Later, the T-800 and T-1000 brought nightmares of future robots hunting down humanity.
Then came *RoboCop*, a fusion of man and machine creating the perfect crime-fighting police officer. This progression culminated in *The Matrix*, which depicted a post-apocalyptic future even bleaker than *Terminator*'s, where humans served as batteries for machines that had seized control of a sunless Earth.
It is hardly surprising, then, that a member of Generation X like myself harbored some paranoia regarding the existence of androids. A few weeks ago, however, I had the opportunity to see two humanoid robots: the HONOR Robot A1 and the HONOR Robot D1. Both have broken human records in sprinting and half-marathon events. After spending an hour with them, I am now more optimistic that the future will resemble *Star Wars* rather than *The Matrix*.
HONOR Robot A1
Standing 136.9 cm tall and nicknamed "Vita Boy," this robot is designed for retail environments to assist customers, as well as for roles in the hospitality sector and any activity requiring human interaction. I am not sure why this humanoid robot is only the height of a child; my theory is that it was designed to appear non-threatening—unlike the *Terminator*.
As seen since the early days of robot development—such as with Asimo—robots intended for interaction with humans are often given smaller bodies and cute personalities, and are equipped with the ability to perform entertaining feats.
It can dance, walk, shake hands, and even perform acrobatic moves reminiscent of Jet Li. It is equipped with a 2D camera on its "forehead" and a LiDAR system on its face. This combination allows it to move safely within the same space as humans. Despite his small size, the sound of Vita Boy’s footsteps is identical to Robocop’s. The sound produced was so uncannily similar that I half-expected Vita Boy to shout, "Surrender now or there will be trouble." Fortunately, that didn't happen.
Notable features of this robot include a battery pack on its flank, an active cooling system, and various motorized joints that allow it to move just like a real human. Vita Boy is more adept at executing intricate movements—thanks to having more joints—compared to the HONOR Robot D1.
HONOR Robot D1
If A1 is Vita Boy, then the HONOR Robot D1—standing 169 cm tall—is nicknamed "Flash." Its height is due to its elongated legs, which remind me of Usain Bolt’s exceptionally long legs. Flash was designed with a single purpose: to run faster than Usain Bolt.
It shattered the human-held records for the 100m, 400m, 1500m, and half-marathon, emerging as one of the world's fastest humanoid robots at the World Humanoid Robot Games held in Beijing last August.
In the 100m dash, for instance, it clocked a time of 8.83 seconds, beating the 9.58-second record set by Usain Bolt seventeen years ago. It can run at a speed of 14.5 m/s (52.2 km/h). Meanwhile, in the half-marathon, it recorded a time of 50:26, surpassing the 56:50 record held by Yomif Kejelcha.
Flash certainly looks like a robot built for speed. Large motors at the waist and knees dominate its anatomy. Its arms are merely stalks, lacking palms or hands; their sole function is to balance the body during sprints, much like the T-1000 chasing John Connor. Its body features a razor-sharp, aerodynamic design to minimize drag and allow it to slice through the air with ease.
Despite their physiological differences, both Flash and Vita Boy share the same forehead-mounted camera system and facial LiDAR sensors. They also utilize identical battery packs. Flash features a larger active cooling system positioned at the rear, comparable in size to the liquid cooling systems found in high-end gaming PCs.
Unlike Vita Boy, Flash’s motor allows for movement along only a single axis. Consequently, in terms of mobility, this robot is engineered specifically for rapid acceleration and top speed. Those worried about being chased by Flash in the future need not panic; it can be outmaneuvered by running in a zigzag pattern or making frequent, rapid changes in direction.
What Is the Purpose of All This?
All the humanoid robots being developed share a single objective: to integrate existing HONOR smartphone technologies and test additional technologies that could potentially be adopted in the near future.
Both robots utilize compact yet high-capacity silicon-carbon battery packs. Their cooling systems are based on the capillary-like cooling technology found in the HONOR Magic series and WIN laptops. Meanwhile, the various robotic systems being tested may eventually be integrated into new HONOR products; for instance, precise motor control systems could be used to enhance the gimbal camera systems of future HONOR phones.
There is currently no indication that humanoid robots will pose a threat to human civilization in the near future. As a member of Generation X, I now believe there is a strong likelihood that a future where humans collaborate with robots—much like the *Transformers*—will become a reality.
