Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's unexpected unveiling of the humanoid robot base model, Project GR00T, at GTC 2024 has injected fresh energy into the booming robotics industry.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's unexpected unveiling of the humanoid robot base model, Project GR00T, at GTC 2024 has injected fresh energy into the booming robotics industry.
Out of the broad scope of humanoid robots, most industry players believe that industrial robots, currently in a growth phase, will be the first to benefit from this development. In addition to Project GR00T, Nvidia introduced Jetson Thor, a SoC based on the Nvidia Thor system, designed for humanoid robots. Major upgrades to the Nvidia Isaac robot platform were also announced.
While Huang's showcase inspired optimism for the industry, veteran Industrial PC (IPC) companies believed that humanoid robots still face obstacles in mobility and application services. They predict that formal commercialization of humanoid robots may occur once related technologies reach a certain level.
However, the primary drivers of market growth remain driven by products like robotic arms, collaborative robots, and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). IPC companies say as regional production becomes a trend amid worsening labor shortages, the demand for industrial robots, particularly in specialized areas like production lines, has seen notable growth.
This demand is especially pronounced in industries like electronics manufacturing and automotive. According to previous data from research institutions, the global robotics market is expected to grow from US$27.7 billion in 2020 to US$74.1 billion by 2026.
However, with Nvidia's focus and investment in robotics, overall market growth may occur at an accelerated pace. IPC companies are familiar with Nvidia's Jetson series, as these products, along with Isaac, have long been considered key applications in autonomous robots and smart factories.
IPC companies apply these products in AMRs, automotive systems, or applications requiring real-time image recognition. Several companies, including Advantech, Ennoconn, AAEON, Adlink, NEXCOM, Neousys, Axiomtek, ARBOR, and AverMedia, offer relevant solutions.
While the emphasis of Huang's showcase was on humanoid robots like Project GR00T, industry players can still develop solutions with market value using related products, development tools, and ecosystems. Project GR00T enables robots to understand multimodal commands, such as language, video, or demonstrations, and execute various tasks.
Therefore, issuing commands or changing operation processes for equipment like production line robot arms or AMRs may become more convenient, efficient, and accurate in the future. IPC companies view Nvidia's offerings as a comprehensive development platform that can assist businesses with related needs in rapidly completing system and product development.
Therefore, understanding customers' requirements and assisting them in quickly completing product development designs is essential for IPC companies to capitalize on the current wave of robotics trends.