Figure, a robotics startup, has developed Figure 01, a bipedal, AI-powered humanoid robot that walks on two legs and is intended to perform manual labor currently performed by humans. The robot is designed to do jobs that people don't want or have the skills for, and it will eventually be able to handle more advanced tasks like caring for the elderly or cooking meals. The company's business plan is to generate revenue as soon as possible by developing robots that can learn and improve. Human-like robots, as opposed to single-purpose robots, can perform almost any task that a human worker would do in a warehouse.
The company has already spent $10 million in 2022, and the founder, Brett Adcock, is solely focused on Figure and is expected to invest more than $100 million in the company. Figure has created five humanoid prototypes that can bend fully at the waist and lift a box from the ground to a high shelf, with hands adding flexibility and utility. Figure intends to conduct extensive testing and refinement over the next few months, with the robots capable of handling the majority of general warehouse applications by the end of the year. A pilot project involving 50 robots working in a real warehouse setting is planned for 2024.
Source: FastCompany (link)
Images: MidJourney, Prompts by Lewis Farrell
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