Topics
late
AI
Amazon
Image Credits:Figure AI
Apps
Biotech & Health
Climate
Image Credits:Figure AI
Cloud Computing
Commerce
Crypto
Image Credits:Figure
enterprisingness
EVs
Fintech
fund-raise
Gadgets
Gaming
Government & Policy
Hardware
Layoffs
Media & Entertainment
Meta
Microsoft
seclusion
Robotics
security system
Social
quad
inauguration
TikTok
Transportation
Venture
More from TechCrunch
Events
Startup Battlefield
StrictlyVC
Podcasts
Videos
Partner Content
TechCrunch Brand Studio
Crunchboard
Contact Us
In May of this yr , TechCrunch ran a piece titled “ Figure ’s humanoid robot takes its first steps . ” The story was a firsthand business relationship of my sojourn to the startup ’s South Bay offices . The headline was a reference to both the company ’s first year of creation and its stated plan to hit a cardinal milestone by its first birthday .
Thecompanylater affirm with me that it had , in fact , manage to get its humanoid automaton to walk . I asked for video evidence , which Figure pass up to get off — until now . Among other thing , it ’s remove the company wants to get a film crew to beguile the biped motivity . I lean to prefer raw laboratory video for stuff like this , but that ’s probably one of the many reasons no one is asking me to run selling for their robotics firm .
Two things jump out at me immediately : First , it ’s adept to see a non - render from the party . Thus far , their art has been throttle to mockups of what the robot could eventually await like . Watching this footage is a reminder that there are many footmark along the way to that futuristic spot of intersection artistic creation . secondly , you ’ve probably noticed that the robot is moving with dead set stifle , rather than the fully erect movement we see in human being .
out to knees , on the other hired hand , are middling standard in robots — you ’ve visualize it with Boston Dynamics’Atlasand Agility’sDigit(though the latter has a reverse twist , similar to an Struthio camelus ) . turn away gives you good control of equalizer and other important factors . Ultimately there ’s a question of how authoritative it is to chromaticity to a more human - like pace , but patently this first video of the Figure 01 robot walking is very much former stage . There are plenty of kinks to work out between now and a ship date .
The other thing I will imbibe your care to is the men . wandering manipulation stay a fundamental problem in this world , and many humanoid scheme like Digit and Apptronik ’s Apollo have yet to tote up articulated graspers . Of course , there ’s nothing in this video that suggest the grippers are currently functional . On my visit to the company ’s HQ , however , they bear witness me a portion of the office commit to the development of what look to be a five - digit , human - style hand .
The video recording notes that Figure ’s head count at the time of shooting ( 10/1 ) was 60 . telling ontogeny for one year . More updates soon , no doubt .
