To date, the US and China have led the world of humanoid robotics, but other nations are looking to bridge the gap. UK-based AI and robotics startup Humanoid, for example, just revealed its new general-purpose humanoid robot HMND 01.
The company’s new robot features advanced motion control, state-of-the-art AI integration, and a host of other features.
The company’s goals align with the trend toward mass commercialization of humanoid robots.
Meet HMND 01
Humanoid was founded just last year by entrepreneur Artem Sokolov. The company aims to become a world leader in robotics.
The firm will have a lot of catching up to do: Boston Dynamics’ Atlas and Spot robots are capable of performing impressive capabilities – including gymnastics and dancing; China’s Unitree, meanwhile, recently revealed robots that perform similar capabilities for a lower price.
According to Humanoid, the company’s HMND 01 robot is a “next-generation labor automation unit”. HMND 01 stands 175 cm (5’9”) tall and weighs 154 lbs (70 kg). It can hit a top walking speed of 1.5 m/s (5.4 km/h) and can carry objects weighing up to 15 kg (33 lbs). The robot’s battery time averages out at 4 hours.
“HMND 01 achieves human-level or higher manipulation speeds for complex tasks and can navigate confined spaces with exceptional accuracy,” the company says in a press statement.
The robot incorporates a modular design philosophy. Users can choose from a variety of parts and switch between different upper-body, lower-body, end-effector configurations.
Humanoid says that part of the thinking behind this was to drive down the cost of its robot. Users can choose more affordable parts to suit their needs, making HMND 01 ideal for mass commercialization. As such, HMND 01 could be used in warehouses, in retail, and also in people’s homes.
Humanoid robots addressing social issues
Humanoid’s mission is to lead the society into a new future where humans and robots interact seamlessly in the same way that people use the smartphones today. This could help to address a whole host of issues, including workforce shortages in certain industries.
“At Humanoid, our team believes in a future where humans and machines work side by side, not in competition, but in harmony,” Sokolov explained in a press statement. “This societal shift will address social issues such as workforce shortages and aging population while giving people more freedom to focus on more creative and meaningful work.”
“The strongest argument in favor of humanoids is that the world is already designed for humans, so they can seamlessly integrate and quickly adapt to existing environments,” he continued. “With a world-class team, Humanoid has ambitious plans for the year ahead. In 2025, we plan to develop and test our alpha prototype for two platforms — wheeled and bipedal. We’re also in ongoing discussions with leading retail companies for potential pilot projects.”
Humanoid has its work cut out. The company has entered an incredibly competitive space, with several high-profile companies looking to take the next step toward mass commercialization. Elon Musk, for example, recently claimed there will be a thousand humanoid Tesla Optimus robots working at Tesla factories by the end of the year.
