Question

what advance in the area of robotics is most likely to increase their use by small and medium - sized manufacturers?
robots with human features
robots that cost less to program
robots that can be securely housed
robots that resist hackers

Explanation:

Small and medium - sized manufacturers often have limited resources. If robots cost less to program, it reduces the technical expertise and cost barrier for these manufacturers to adopt robotics. Robots with human features may be more of a novelty or for specific high - end applications. Secure housing and resistance to hackers are important but may not be the most critical factor for increasing adoption in terms of initial investment and ease of use compared to programming cost.

Answer:

robots that cost less to program