Does the future belong to humanoid social robots?

Researchers have been increasingly focusing on advancing the robotic technologies and understanding their social implications. A large number of initiatives in this area have been launched with the objective of presenting social robots as a highly strategic area to address complex societal challenges. As a result, robotics is now a highly articulated field delivering various types of robots that already assist numerous areas of human activity. Past research findings are still rather confined within the disciplinary boundaries, hindering trans-disciplinary collaboration for increasing our understanding of social robotics. Bringing research up to the next level is essential to deliver ever-advancing robotic technologies in our everyday lives effectively, ethically, and sustainably.