Figure's new robot can talk and work like a human
Figure, a prominent player in the humanoid robotics industry, has unveiled its latest creation - Figure 02. This advanced bipedal machine is equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) speech communication capabilities, developed in partnership with OpenAI. In a promotional video, Figure 02 was seen performing tasks similar to those carried out by the previous model at BMW's Spartanburg factory in South Carolina. The company has a collaboration with the German automaker to incorporate its robots into BMW's manufacturing facility.
Design evolution: Sleek looks with 'human-level strength'
The Figure 02 showcases a sleek matte black frame, a significant departure from its predecessor's bulkier chrome body. The robot's hands are a fourth-generation design, offering 16 degrees of freedom and what the company describes as "human-equivalent strength."
Learning capabilities and speech communication
A significant enhancement in the Figure 02 is its ability to self-correct and learn from mistakes. However, these capabilities are yet to be tested in more complex job functions in warehouses and factories. The collaboration with OpenAI has enabled speech-to-speech reasoning on the Figure 02, allowing it to communicate with humans through speakers and interpret visual data through a vision language modeling (VLM) system.
Enhanced battery and computation power
The Figure 02 boasts a larger battery that offers a 50% increase in runtime, resulting in approximately 7.5 hours between recharges. The wiring is now fully concealed and it has three times the computation and AI inference power as its predecessor. According to Figure, this enables "real-world AI tasks to be performed fully autonomously."
Industry experts express concerns over AI hype bubble
Despite the advancements, industry experts have expressed concerns about an AI hype bubble that may soon burst. Companies like Figure and Tesla have promised that generative AI systems integrated into bipedal robots will revolutionize labor markets. However, so far, these companies have primarily released promotional videos without delivering actual products to factories.
