The robotics industry loves healthy, healthy debate. One of his most intense ones lately centers around humanoid robots. Of course, it’s been a big topic for decades, but the recent proliferation of startups like 1X and Figure, as well as projects from more established companies like Tesla, has put humanoids back in the spotlight.
Proponents of the form factor point out that since we have built the world to suit us, it makes sense that we would build robots just like us to suit it. It also has certain advantages in terms of reach, ability to climb stairs, and dexterity by design.
Of course, anyone who says that the human body is the pinnacle of organic machinery is either mistaken or lying. I’ve been dealing with something called “degenerative disc disease” this past year with him, and it’s complete proof that our design is imperfect.
Image credits: agility robotics (Opens in new window)
This form factor also goes against decades of conventional wisdom in favor of single-purpose robots, machines built to do one thing very well over and over again. And then there’s the whole “generic” part, which tends to get tossed around with little consideration for its underlying complexity.
But humanoid robots can now claim a big technological name among their ranks.This week’s Bill Gates published a list “Cutting-edge robotics startups and labs that I’m excited about” Included are three companies focused on humanoid development. The first and most notable one is Agility, whose Digit robot is the least human-like of his three robots. His other projects include Apptronik, where he developed Apollo, and RoMeLa (Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory) at UCLA, which is behind his ARTEMIS in soccer.
Gates said of Apptronik:
Which is better: multiple robots, each of which can perform one task repeatedly, or one robot, which can perform multiple tasks and accomplish more? From the Human-Centered Robotics Lab at the University of Texas For spun-out Austin-based startup Apptronik, the answer is obvious. So they are developing a “general purpose” humanoid bipedal robot like Apollo. The robot can be programmed to perform a wide range of tasks, from carrying boxes around the factory to helping around the house.
Image credits: aputronic (Opens in new window)
Regarding agility, he writes: “If we want robots to operate as seamlessly as possible in our environments, perhaps they should be modeled after humans.” Digit is currently leading the way in real-world deployments. That includes Figure’s recent pilot with his Amazon warehouse in preparation for his recent BMW deal.
Other companies mentioned in the article include robotic recognition company Field AI and Tevel, which develops apple-picking drones.
Such support may not move the needle too much in the direction of humanoids, and Gates is not a roboticist. But it’s enlightening to see the form factor continue to gain mainstream legitimacy with each passing day.
