Robotics is rapidly expanding into the human environment and vigorously engaged in its new emerging challenges. From a largely dominant industrial focus, robotics has undergone by the turn of the new millennium a major transformation in scope and dimensions. This expansion has been brought about by the maturity of the field and the advances in its related technologies. The new generation of robots is expected to safely and dependably co-habitat with humans in homes, workplaces, and communities, providing support in services, entertainment, education, health care, manufacturing, and assistance. Interacting, exploring, and working with humans, the new generation of robots will increasingly touch people and their lives. New design and fabrication concepts, novel sensing modalities, effective planning and control strategies, modeling and understanding of human motion and skills are among the key requirements discussed for the development of this new generation of human-friendly robots.