Researchers predict there will be a surge in the worldwide dependency of robots during the next decade.

The gap between humans and robots is forecast to become significantly smaller as researchers announced that human’s social and physical reliance on robotic machines looks set to soar.

Whilst it has previously been considered it will take a long time for robots to match humans and human-controlled technology, it seems the moment is now imminent. As the International Federation of Robotics has stated, the next three years will see a phenomenal rise in the use of robots.

An intensive study into the possible achievements of robots has allowed scientists to surmise there will be an amalgamation between humans and robots. Antonio Lopez Palaez, co-author of the research and a Professor of Sociology at Spain’s National Distance Learning University said,

“Just as we depend on mobile phones and cars in our daily lives, the next 15 years will see mass hybridization between humans and robots.”

It is believed the leisure and entertainment industries will benefit most from the “robotic revolution”. Due to unification between robots, computers and home entertainment there is expected to be a dramatic increase in robots in entertainment by the year 2011.

But their abilities will not stop there. Using robots in a working capacity is not an entirely new practice and is forecast to be exploited. In the US robots are already being employed in logistics support by controlling unmanned vehicles. Whilst pilotless airplanes are being guided by robots, so confident are scientists of the potential of these machines, it has been suggested 40 per cent of the world’s armies will be made up of robots by the year 2020. With the rapidly expanding costs of military equipment and qualified soldiers, an army of salary-free robots, will be an attractive alternative.

Robots have usually been associated with science fiction and are often portrayed as villainous. But in direct contrast, the Spanish research suggests people may become reliant on robots on a personal or even a romantic level. According to Palaez,

“A robot may be a more effective partner and a better person than the humans we actually have in our immediate lives. Just as you can see dog owners talking to their pets today, soon we will be talking to robots.”

Armies of robots, robotic partners and workforces made up entirely of walking and talking machines, suggests the world may be heading towards a robotic revolution.

Gabrielle Pickard for RT