Figure AI's Humanoid Robot Helped Assemble BMWs At US Factory

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Unlike Tesla, which hopes to develop its own bipedal 'bot to work on its production line sometime next year, BMW has brought in a robot from Figure AI. The Figure 02 robot has hands with sixteen degrees of freedom and human-equivalent strength. "We are excited to unveil Figure 02, our second-generation humanoid robot, which recently completed successful testing at the BMW Group Plant Spartanburg. Figure 02 has significant technical advancements, which enable the robot to perform a wide range of complex tasks fully autonomously," said Brett Adcock, founder and CEO of Figure AI.

BMW wanted to test how to integrate a humanoid robot into its production process -- how to have the robot communicate with the production line software and human workers and determine what requirements would be necessary to add robots to the mix. The Figure robot was given the job of inserting sheet metal parts into fixtures as part of the process of making a chassis. BMW says this required particular dexterity and that it's an ergonomically awkward and tiring task for humans.

Now that the trial is over, Figure's robot is no longer working at Spartanburg, and BMW says it has "no definite timetable established" to add humanoid robots to its production lines. "The developments in the field of robotics are very promising. With an early-test operation, we are now determining possible applications for humanoid robots in production. We want to accompany this technology from development to industrialization," said Milan Nedeljkovi, BMW's board member responsible for production. BMW Group published a video of the Figure 02 robot on YouTube.

Re:

[ShanghaiBill]

Right now, go look at the linked video and tell me how hard that looks for a human to do. Start at about 1:30

Indeed. Why are they using a $150k humanoid robot for a trivial task that a $2k actuator could easily handle?

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[froggyjojodaddy]

Because they are going to use this in marketing and then later to justify the insane price increase they're going to hit their customers with

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[LazarusQLong]

it does look like a boring, repetitive task. Not difficult or requiring, "particular dexterity and that it's an ergonomically awkward and tiring task", it is simple and boring, that's all.

Doesn't walk well

[AmiMoJo]

In the video it is shuffling along, indicating that it can't catch itself if it bumps into something, or gets bumped. It probably can't lift much weight either, as the load would put it off balance.

Boston Dynamics robots can balance themselves, so don't have those issues. I can't see this thing being very practical if it has these limitations.

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[geekmux]

In the video it is shuffling along, indicating that it can't catch itself if it bumps into something, or gets bumped. It probably can't lift much weight either, as the load would put it off balance.

The similarities between these and a US President moving around, are uncanny. Truly.

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[q_e_t]

In the video it is shuffling along, indicating that it can't catch itself if it bumps into something,

Maybe it's just depressed. Brain the size of a planet and all it's being asked to do is assemble cars.

Great, they're taking the most useless job

[Anonymous Coward]

Now robots will install the turn signals that never get used!

Re:Great, they're taking the most useless job

[geekmux]

Now robots will install the turn signals that never get used!

Hey now! They do get used. In marketing. It’s the Ultimate Turn Signal Machine.

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[dsgrntlxmply]

The exterior perspective: Blinkers Might Work. The interior perspective: Burned More Wiring.

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[tbords]

Now robots will install the turn signals that never get used!

They get used plenty. It's usually by people who never turn them off except when they want to merge or turn when they get turned off but they do get used.

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[LazarusQLong]

I must have been the one BMW owner who used his turn signals. Of course I did get rid of my BMW...