Tech experts say robots will change the world. That may be so, but they need to work on their hugging because it's … well, robotic. 

I met a few of these 'cyber characters' at Extend Robotics, a company based just outside London. They're learning to do all sorts of things - pick vegetables, move boxes, grip tools. 

But that's just the start. CEO Chang Liu says the robots can learn to perform highly-complex tasks like surgery or even bomb disposal. They can act on their own, but can also work alongside humans. 

"Sometimes you can't automate your way out of a problem," says Liu. "You need a human. But often it's a dangerous situation like an environmental disaster. And so you send the robot to do the work while the human calls the shots." 

Liu's robots are designed to respond to human direction, while learning from each experience. That means they can develop the skills to make their own decisions, if required. 

Extend Robotics is building on technology that's already saving lives. For example, doctors have used robots to perform 'telesurgeries' on people thousands of kilometers away. 

A surgeon in the United States removed cancer cells from a patient in Angola two months ago. 

A group of Chinese doctors did something similar during a groundbreaking experiment last year. They were dispatched to three cities across the country, before performing 'satellite surgery' on several patients in Beijing.

The (virtual) reality check

Liu's robots may not be surgeons just yet. But they're getting there. He's incorporated virtual reality into his systems, allowing users to 'see' what robots see. The idea is to bridge the gap between human and machine. 

"People often rely on a screen or monitor when they operate robots remotely," says Liu. "But virtual reality allows them to perceive depth better. They can understand the space around the robot."  

It seems to be working. Staff are frantically waving their arms and pinching their fingers as I walk around the Extend Robotics office. They're wearing virtual reality headsets, and while I have to chuckle at the gestures, I can't help but notice the robots across the room. 

One whizzes towards a table with a crate of tools. Another grabs hold of metal cartridges before placing them in a small hole. There's even one moving its arms like it's busting a move (presumably it's the 'robot' dance). 

"This used to be an open-plan restaurant before we took it over," says Liu. "I really like it. We're a high-tech company, in a simple place."  

Location seems to matter to Liu. He grew up in China, but moved to the UK to study. He decided to stay after spotting a business opportunity.  

"Britain has some of the best skills in terms of research," he tells me. "It also has very good software. We've combined that software with hardware from vendors in China and the United States. That combination gives us the best solutions."  

'Learning to be local'

There's no doubt that China is a major player in the robotics sector. Chinese firms registered roughly 5,700 patents for humanoid robots between December 2019 and November 2024. That's more than three times the number of patents registered by American companies. 

Countries around the world are racing to develop faster, smarter robots. But experts say the sector needs cooperation as well as competition. 

"China built a strong supply chain for hardware and software," says Dr Shan Luo, a researcher at King's College London. "It seems to me that it's still important to engage with foreign clients so they can adapt robots to local cultures, and local needs." 

Luo is part of an advisory network at the Institution of Engineering and Technology in London. When I meet him he's taking a walk around an exhibition celebrating 100 ideas that shaped modern life. There's the light bulb. The first vaccines. The telephone. They all changed the course of history in one way or another. 

But Luo says robots could be just as powerful. "It's amazing to see these engineering ideas on display," says Luo. "But I'm even more excited about the future and what robots could do for us." 

Back at the Extend Robotics office, I'm starting to realize that the story of robotics is unfolding on a global scale. 

Here we are in the UK, looking at robots built with parts from China and the U.S. They were built by people from across the world - Extend's staff are from India, Bangladesh, China and the UK. And they will train these robots to work in every corner of the planet. 

"He can give you a hug," says Liu, as I get ready to say goodbye. He pops on his virtual reality headset and pretty soon, the robot's arms are wide open. 

I go in for the hug and I have to say, it's not exactly warm and fuzzy. Robots still have a few things to learn. But make no mistake, they are learning.