为啥机器人集体放弃“跑酷” 全去“叠衣服”了？

Core Viewpoint - The robotics industry has shifted focus from showcasing extreme capabilities, such as parkour and dancing, to addressing practical household tasks like folding clothes, indicating a maturation of the market and a response to real consumer needs [3][7][27]. Group 1: Industry Trends - The initial excitement around robotics was characterized by impressive demonstrations of movement and balance, which attracted capital and interest in the early stages of technology development [27]. - The current trend shows a significant pivot towards practical applications, with companies now prioritizing user needs over mere technical prowess [27][30]. - The emergence of clothing folding robots reflects a convergence of technological advancements and market demand, as the ability to fold clothes has become a more relatable and desirable function for consumers [9][15]. Group 2: Technological Advancements - Breakthroughs in robot learning technologies, such as diffusion models and zero-shot learning, have enabled robots to learn tasks like folding clothes from human demonstrations without extensive programming [13]. - The reduction in technical barriers has allowed startups to leverage pre-trained models to create functional demonstrations, making the technology more accessible [13][15]. - Despite advancements, current robotic demonstrations still reveal limitations in precision and adaptability, indicating that further improvements in algorithms and hardware are necessary [29][30]. Group 3: Market Demand and Consumer Expectations - There is a strong consumer desire for robots that can perform household tasks, with many willing to pay for solutions that alleviate mundane chores like folding clothes [15][26]. - The gap between what companies claim their robots can do and what consumers expect in terms of performance and reliability remains significant [24][26]. - Current demonstrations often fail to address the full scope of household tasks, focusing primarily on the folding action without integrating the entire process from retrieval to storage [24][30]. Group 4: Future Directions - The industry must continue to focus on practical applications and user needs to drive commercial viability, moving beyond mere technical demonstrations [30]. - As technology matures, there is potential for robots to expand their capabilities to include a wider range of household tasks, provided they remain aligned with consumer demands [29][30]. - The shift towards practical applications signifies a more rational approach to robotics, emphasizing the importance of solving real-world problems over showcasing extreme capabilities [30].