California-based robotics outfit Figure has today announced its second-generation humanoid robot, which is initially being aimed at production lines in commercial settings, but the company is promising a bipedal butler in our homes in the near future.
Figure was founded in 2022 by entrepreneur Brett Adcock – of Vettery and Archer Aviation – with the aim of bringing a “commercially viable general purpose humanoid robot” to market. We caught up with Adcock last year, publishing a series of three interview pieces, and have followed the progress of its first robot from first steps to learning and performing tasks to joining BMW’s workforce, and then gaining OpenAI chattiness.
Figure says that its engineers have since undertaken a “ground-up hardware and software redesign” that includes upgrades to the AI systems, computer vision, the battery pack, electronics, sensors and actuators.
Among the highlights shared are onboard microphones and speakers that cater for one-to-one …