Sanctuary AI isn't often talked about in the same breath as humanoid robot companies like Boston Dynamics, Agility, Figure, and 1X, but the Canadian company has been active in this space for some time. In fact, the new robot introduced Thursday is actually the seventh generation of the Phoenix product line.
Although recent iterations have introduced legs to the line, Sanctuary is most interested in what's happening from the waist up. Apparently, the new video of the latest robot focuses on the system's torso. The Canadian company emphasizes the system's human-like behavior in sorting products and the speed with which it learns to do such tasks.
Much of the coverage of humanoids to date has (understandably) revolved around mechatronics, specifically how these robots will look as they move through the world. Boston Dynamics' recent video is a perfect example of how much you can convey in just a few seconds.
But ultimately, robotic intelligence will become just as important, if not more important, than these systems in the future. “General intelligence” is a big, abstract term, but much robotics research suggests we're still 5 to 10 years away from having robots that can learn new tasks in the same way as their human colleagues. This is a unanimous opinion.
However, that doesn't mean that today's systems can't learn tasks quickly. For example, Sanctuary suggests that the new Phoenix can automate new tasks within his 24 hours.
“With Generation 7, we have what we believe is the most human-like system available,” says co-founder and CEO Jordy Rose. “We believe this is not only the foundation for general AI robotics, but also an important step on the path to artificial general intelligence, and we are excited to be at the forefront of it.”
Image credit: Sanctuary AI
Time and consistency will almost certainly vary from task to task. What's shown in the demo is relatively simple, with individual objects in different colors that look like a structured and controlled environment. But Sanctuary definitely deserves credit for already having an early system in place. The company recently announced an agreement to install its systems at Magna's automotive manufacturing facilities.
The majority of seventh-generation robots, introduced 12 months after the previous generation, brought further improvements to the line, including increased uptime, improved range of motion, reduced weight, and a lower cost bill of materials.