The cobots, which are robots with cognitive abilities, can identify the need and perform a task without programming or commands.

For decades after the concept of robots was first discussed among tech enthusiasts, they were simply imagined as devices that would function as helpers or protectors, responding to orders from human beings. When they were eventually thought of as machines that could think for themselves, humanoids were reimagined as SciFi nightmares that'd take over the world.

But the past decade or so has opened doors for robots to enter everyday human life, prompting innovators to explore diverse possibilities for deployment of androids to make life simpler for people. Dubai being a city where robots have reached restaurants, public spaces and even households, is the perfect stage to unveil an upgraded set of smart droids, that have the ability to think for themselves and feel.

The cobot, which stands for robots with cognitive abilities, has been introduced by German firm Neura Robotics, at the GITEX tech week in the futuristic emirate. As opposed to the machines that need to be programmed beforehand, cobots have in-built AI, which allows them to observe and hear things around them, before empowering them to make decisions via machine learning.

This means that the humanoids have a mind of their own and the ability to feel, in order to read a particular situation and respond to it automatically. For households or businesses, this means that cobots can identify the need for cleaning up or organising a desk, and complete the task by themselves.

For those who are comfortable with a droid, which doesn't need to be controlled and won't wait for orders, Neura Robotics' product offers fully automated service. After making such gadgets for healthcare and office work, the company has finally rolled out housekeeping robots, which are also affordable.

Being introduced after the region witnessed development as well as marketing of humanoids with emotional intelligence, the cobot highlights new possibilities for interactive AI. It's significant for the UAE, where recently it's first robo-detective received a badge after three years of training.