Meet the Robotic Engineer Crafting Your Next Mercedes

In a world where robots are seemingly inching closer to fulfilling the promises of science fiction, one company is steadfastly working on a humanoid robot capable of picking up items and moving boxes. Over the past eight years, this ambitious endeavor has thrived on a modest budget of $28 million—a mere drop in the ocean compared to the financial torrents now flooding the robotics industry. Recently, a visit to Figure’s office revealed that getting the Figure 01 robot to walk required a five-minute warm-up and a quick software adjustment, a clear sign that the technology still has a way to go before it is ready for large-scale deployment.

Humanoid robots have captivated human imagination for decades. The journey began in 1973 when researchers at Tokyo’s Waseda University built the first full-scale human-like robot, the WABOT-1. Fast forward to the present, and the field has evolved dramatically. Melonee Wise, Chief Technology Officer at Agility, aptly labels the period from 2010 to now as the era of the autonomous mobile robot. Back in 2010, humanoid robots were more a figment of futuristic dreams than tangible reality. Even then, pioneers like Sentis, a Stanford-trained professor at UT Austin, nurtured grand visions of robotic capabilities, with his lab attracting likeminded innovators.

One such visionary was Nick Paine, a Ph.D. student in Sentis’s lab who is now the Chief Technology Officer at Apptronik. He believes that the future of robotics lies in creating a singular robot that can perform thousands of different tasks. This ambitious vision was put to the test in 2013 when Sentis and Paine teamed up with NASA scientists to create Valkyrie, a superhero robot designed to tackle various challenges in potential natural disasters. This collaboration underscored the broader potential of humanoid robots beyond mere warehouse duties.

While companies like Mercedes-Benz are not yet using robots to replace skilled labor in car production, they are exploring the potential of robots in material handling—an area ripe with straightforward yet essential tasks. Jörg Burzer, a board member at Mercedes-Benz Group, suggests another intriguing possibility: combining robots with artificial intelligence to detect quality issues in parts from suppliers. This speaks to the untapped potential of integrating advanced robotics with sophisticated AI systems, thus enhancing efficiency and precision in various industrial applications.

Apptronik has its sights set on making humanoid robots accessible. As CEO Cardenas notes, their goal is to produce a robot costing less than a car, approximately $50,000. As they ramp up production, they aim to lower the cost of actuators and other essential components. With plans to produce nearly 100 units of their next robot version, the Apollo, this year and several hundred more next year, Apptronik is poised to make substantial strides in the robotics domain.

The journey from a five-minute warm-up to seamless operation is paved with challenges, but companies like Figure and Apptronik are undeterred. With history as a guide and innovation as a compass, the promise of versatile, human-like robots may soon become a reality, revolutionizing industries and fulfilling the age-old dreams of science fiction.