The coronavirus pandemic has forced the world to shut down, and it has affected the entertainment industry. However, it seems like people were able to get a workaround on this issue and are now using robots to do the job.
Robots used for entertainment
Boston Dynamics posted a video of its robots performing gravity-defying acrobatics while dancing to "Do You Love Me" by The Contours, immediately it went viral online, as reported by CNN.
A YouTube clip of Atlas and Spot robots moving with balletic fluidity has garnered up to 23 million views since December 30, 2020 and the views keep climbing. There were also countless warnings that the "Terminator series" Skynet is upon us.
Boston Dynamics, which is a company that Hyundai Motor Group bought from SoftBank Group according to Forbes, makes robots that are practical and very fun to watch.
Robots have long been used by companies such as Walt Disney Imagineering, they are emerging as entertainers even as the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the distribution of different kinds of robots that can help fight the virus and support the economy and the society in different ways, like giving automation in factories and warehouses to assisting in the medical field and being assistants to medial workers in hospitals and nursing homes.
As the world waits for the global distribution of the vaccine and the slow reopening of economies, intelligent machines will be taking on a public role as entertainers. Entertainment robots as a market could increase up to 10% every year until 2023 as more public venues embrace machines that do not get sick, tire or need to be quarantined, according to the International Federation of Robotics or IFR.
The IFR also classifies entertainment robots as a type of service robot, a broad category that includes everything from hospital delivery droids down to edutainment robotic toys.
The category itself grew 32% from $8.5 billion to $11.2 billion in 2019. The sales of entertainment robots were increased to 13% to 4.6 million units in 2019 alone, and it had a potential growth of 10% to 5.1 million units in 2020. According to IFR, there is a chance it can grow up to 6.7 million units in 2023.
Robots popular in Japan
When it comes to robots, one country stands out. Japan is known for its prowess in robotics. In 2018, the country was the world's top industrial robot manufacturer and it delivered 52% of the global supply, according to the data from IFR. Japan has embraced robotics as its total population slowly decreases and affects its workforce, and the pandemic makes it difficult for humans to interact.
In Tokyo, Gundam Factory Yokohama opened as the culmination of long-term project to create a life-sized version of the popular robot from the manga and anime "Gundam."
The successful anime franchise from Yoshiyuki Tomino spawned a merchandise empire that is now worth 78 billion yen or $758 million in annual sales.
The Gundam robot can slowly step forward, bend its knees and stand up on a launchpad. It is bathed in dramatic lighting and mist, it raises its arms as stirring music fills the air. Fans can witness this spectacle for 1,650 yen or $16 to see it from ground level or 3,300 yen or $32 for gantry access.
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Written by Sieeka Khan
