Figure has unveiled its latest humanoid robot, the Figure 02. As the name suggests, the system is the successor to the Figure 01 robot that was unveiled in 2023. The first teaser video is similar to what we've seen with other humanoids, mimicking videos of home appliances rather than a live demonstration of the robot in action.
Another video released Tuesday shows the robot walking slowly on bent legs across the floor in what appears to be a demo area in the middle of Figuure's offices, while two other robots can be seen carrying a package in the background — the biggest out-of-the-box application for most of these humanoid robots.
Image credit: Figure
The most notable addition is a longstanding partnership with OpenAI, which helped Figure raise $675 million in Series B funding in February, valuing the South Bay company at $2.6 billion.
While the mainstreaming of neural networks is appealing to the robotics industry as a whole, humanoid developers are particularly interested in the technology. One of the main selling points of this form factor is its ability to effectively collaborate with human colleagues on the factory floor (with proper safety precautions in place, of course). Figure 02 is equipped with a speaker and microphone for speaking and listening to people as they work.
Image credit: Figure
Models like ChatGPT and Google Gemini are acclaimed for their natural language capabilities and are pioneering the new field of smart assistants and chatbots. Equipping these systems with such capabilities is easy, making it easier for humans to command robots while at the same time providing greater transparency into what the robot is doing at any given time.
This type of communication is doubly important when dealing with humanoid robots, which are designed to roam freely without safety cages. It's important to remember that although they are human-like in design, they are still large, heavy, and potentially dangerous pieces of moving metal. Combined with vision and proximity sensors, voice becomes a vital safety tool.
Figure isn't alone in this effort: Late last year, Agility introduced efforts to leverage generative AI to improve human-robot communication. The use of neural networks was a major focus of Google's Everyday Robots team before it was shut down. Meanwhile, Elon Musk appears to be in charge of both Grok AI and Optimus. The two projects will undoubtedly marry sooner or later.
Meanwhile, OpenAI has been betting a bit less in this space. Prior to its investment in Figure, the firm backed Norwegian company 1X. But over the past year, Figure has been generating much more buzz in the industry. Its aforementioned Series B round also included other top tech companies, including Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia, and Intel Capital.
Image credit: Figure
Figure recently began testing with BMW, and in June the company released a video showcasing an early, wired version of the robot performing tasks autonomously on the floor with the help of a neural network.
The company said the 02 robot has already visited its facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina, for training and data collection. These partnerships are still in their early stages: Agility, Apptronik and Sanctuary AI have announced similar pilot projects with automakers; Optimus has been focused on working on Tesla vehicles since before Optimus was founded; and Boston Dynamics' parent company, Hyundai, is looking to develop humanoids in its factories.
Communications is part of what Figure calls a “radical hardware and software redesign” between the 01 and 02. The list also includes an on-board visual language model, improved CPU/GPU computing, and six RGB cameras combined with improved hands with 16 degrees of freedom.
Hands are a hot topic in the world of humanoid robots, with differing opinions on how similar designers should make their hands to human hands.
While much has been said about the agility and dexterity of human limbs, designs inspired by the human hand have been criticized for their delicacy and impression of over-engineering. Figure, on the other hand, has been committed to using human-like hands as end-effectors in its systems.
While the timeline for a wider rollout of Figure 02 is unclear, the company hints at a broader future outside of warehouses and factory floors: “Figure's robots combine human dexterity with advanced AI to perform a wide range of tasks in commercial applications and, soon, at home,” the company wrote.