I recently went on a media trip with XPENG, a brand that makes some pretty nice EVs, but they were also put in the spotlight recently when the video of their robot, IRON, went viral.

The humanoid robot walked on stage in such a convincing manner that prompted everyone to wonder if it was actually a human in a suit.

Now, I managed to get a closer look at the robot, and although it was a static display, it looked intricate and pretty interesting. We then attended a workshop where they explained the challenges they faced when developing the robot, and shared with us more information about it.

But what prompted me to think more was their rationale. The man in charge of the robot cited an instance where his elderly neighbour was facing health issues and had to be sent to a care facility, away from home - and that prompted him to wonder if there would be a day when robots could take the role of a caregiver, avoiding the need for those in need of care to be sent away from home. 

Now, I'm not sure about you, but I'm not sure if I can ever get on with the idea of having a humanoid robot at home, as though it was another human - it just seems weird and maybe even a little scary.

So what do you think? Would you welcome a robot into your family with open arms?