8 Exciting Humanoid Robots That Make Robo-Butlers Feel Real
The dream of never having to do chores may soon come true.
For so long, the idea of humanoid robots held the promise of taking care of boring tasks and letting us focus on more important things. Yet here we are, without a robot that helps simplify our lives like Rosey the Robot from The Jetsons.
Still, the technology behind robots has been advancing rapidly as of late, leading to bots that have impressive dexterity or AI reasoning. Most of these robots aren’t available to customers yet, but they reignite the hope that we’re closer to robot butlers who can achieve the holy grail — doing our laundry. Here are eight of the most exciting humanoid robots that you could see in your future homes.
1. Boston Dynamics Atlas
The new and improved Atlas moves like a contortionist.
Perhaps one of the more popular names in robotics, Boston Dynamics recently gave its humanoid robot a serious makeover. The next-gen Atlas might not move like a human anymore, but the company says this improved range of movement opens it up for more applications. Boston Dynamics will first put its latest Atlas to test in Hyundai’s manufacturing plants.
2. Tesla Optimus
The Tesla bot will use the same AI that’s found in its EVs.
In Tesla’s latest video showing off its humanoid robot, Optimus handles precise tasks like sorting battery cells, with ease. Besides factory use, we can see Tesla’s bot running tests with sorting laundry, organizing shelves, and even walking around the office. Tesla will likely put Optimus to work in its manufacturing plants first, but its dexterity looks like it can take care of household chores too — well, sort of.
3. Figure 01
Figure 01 looks about as close to a robot butler as we can get right now.
Unlike Atlas and Optimus, Figure leans on OpenAI and its ChatGPT model to add a realistic touch to its humanoid robot. As seen in this demo, Figure 01 can smoothly handle conversations with humans, while understanding tasks given to it. It can even make your coffee for you, even if it’s just pushing a button on a Keurig. Figure plans to use its robots in BMW’s manufacturing plant in South Carolina to start.
4. Unitree G1
The G1’s mobility is something to behold.
With 43 joint motors, Unitree’s G1 gets up from the floor just as creepily as Boston Dynamics’ Atlas. However, it can also run up to 4.5 mph, solder wires with its three-pronged hand, and even make breakfast for you. Best of all, Unitree is positioning the G1 to be a more affordable option to the existing competition at $16,000.
5. Agility Digit
We’ll see the Digit on Amazon assembly lines.
You may remember Agility’s Digit robot when it partnered with Ford back in 2020. The partnership for the five-foot, nine-inch humanoid robot seems to have fizzled, but Digit found a new home through Amazon. The company plans to use it at its warehouses, but Digit’s capabilities of carrying up to 35 pounds and reaching things as high as six feet could be just as useful at home.
6. Sanctuary AI Phoenix
The Phoenix can quickly sort through various objects.
You might not have heard of Phoenix yet, but Sanctuary AI is actually on the seventh generation of its humanoid robot. The latest upgrade improves the Phoenix’s range of motion in all of its arm joints and how fast it can learn new tasks, now taking less than 24 hours. Sanctuary AI already deployed its Phoenix with Canadian Tire Corporation, but its general-purpose design means it can be programmed for more than that.
7. Apptronik Apollo
A friendly face makes the Apollo seem more human than others.
These mostly faceless robots may feel like a weird inclusion at home, but Apptronik solves that with Apollo and its digital panels on its face and chest. This design allows it to communicate with its owner its battery percentage, what task it’s working on, and what’s next on its queue.
Apptronik wants the Apollo to be like the iPhone of the robot world since it has “user-friendly hardware” that’s meant to be added on with third-party applications. We’ll see it in action soon in Mercedes-Benz’s manufacturing plants.
8. Ubtech Walker S
Thanks to Baidu’s Ernie AI, the Walker S can communicate with humans in real-time.
Like Figure 01, Ubtech’s Walker S leans on Baidu’s Ernie AI to understand real-time interactions and requests. It can handle things like folding clothes, while even giving you fashion advice on what to pair something with. Nio already employed the Walker S on its EV production lines, where it can be seen handling specific tasks like checking seatbelt safety and installing car emblem logos.
