Latest news with #Apptronik
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Humanoid Robots Is The ‘Space Race Of Our Time,' Says Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas
The struggle to be first in humanoid robots is the space race of our time, says Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas, who also says that major upgrades are coming to Apptronik's appropriately-named Apollo robot in 2025. 'It is just amazing to me to hear that there's a hundred companies working on humanoid robots,' Cardenas told me recently on the TechFirst podcast. 'Investors that I talked to two years ago that said humanoids don't make sense. They didn't wanna pay attention to hardware. Now they have a humanoid thesis and hardware's the name of the game.' Apptronik closed a massive $403 million funding round early this year with blue-chip investors including tech titans like Google, massive automotive brand Mercedes-Benz, and venture heavyweights such as B Capital and Capital Factory. The company has also partnered with $30 billion global manufacturing giant Jabil to ramp up production capabilities and achieve mass scalability. 'One of the things that we realized was that if we really are going to ramp to tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of units, we need to really learn about how to do manufacturing right and do it at scale," Cardenas told me. There are two main challenges now in humanoid robots. One is the breakneck race to bring the best, fastest, smartest, most capable and most adaptable humanoid robot to market, and that's dominated by companies like Figure, Tesla, Agility Robotics, Apptronik itself, and about 20 other companies in humanoid robotics. A European manufacturer, Neura Robotics, says it will ship a 'best in world' humanoid robot this summer. The second is to manufacture at scale to get the price affordable. Bank of America says that is likely to happen by 2028, when humanoid robots begin a mass adoption trend for commercial use. Humanoid robots, Bank of America says, can replace 20% of the world's industrial sector jobs: roles that employ perhaps 800 million people today. Service sectors and the home sector will come next, with a project penetration rate of .7 humanoid robots per household, and this phase is projected to kick off in 2034. Figure alone plans to ship 100,000 humanoid robots in the next four years: perhaps optimistic, but intriguing nevertheless. One thing we can say about Apptronik is that it has the capital and the manufacturing relationships to boost its odds of winning. Powered by recent AI breakthroughs, Apptronik is shifting beyond simple tasks like box-moving to advanced dexterous tasks. Cardenas emphasizes a human-centered design philosophy, aiming to create robots people want to be around, and expects meaningful industrial deployment in 2026, with additional use cases in healthcare, hospitality and elder care to follow 3–5 years later. Apollo improvements we'll see this year include upgraded dexterity, modular batteries for 24/7 uptime, and a design robust enough for factory floors or fulfillment centers. While clearly there's the fear of human replacement and job loss, Cardenas sees humanoid robots as helper, not usurpers. 'These are tools to augment human productivity and capability,' he told me. 'I think that's particularly important for humanoid robots is that they're thought of and designed to be human helpers versus something that replaces humans.'
Sky News
30-03-2025
- Automotive
- Sky News
Humanoid machine performs real-world task in significant development in robot revolution
A humanoid machine called Apollo has just taken a tentative, slightly jerky, but significant step forward in the robot revolution. The 5'8" tall robot performed the first public demonstration in a real-world setting of a real-world task - in this case assembling an engine part - entirely autonomously. Clicking two parts together with a twist of its servo-controlled wrists, and handing it to a human colleague is a basic task. But it's also an important moment in the much-hyped world of human-like robot development. "This is a really big day for us," says Jeff Cardenas, chief executive of Apptronik, the US company behind Apollo. "We're excited to show this off, excited for the public to see the robot live and in person." Mercedes-Benz has announced a multimillion-pound investment in Apptronik and is trialling a handful of the humanoid robots at its factory in Berlin and another in Hungary. Investors and industrial firms - particularly carmakers with long experience of using robots in manufacturing - have been closely following the development of human-like robots. The costs of small, lightweight components have fallen as artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and computer vision technology have led to rapid advances in the field of robots that can emulate human movement and tasks. But despite a rising number of increasingly impressive-looking cyborgs being unveiled by tech companies in the US and Asia, few have taken their first steps out of the lab. The Apollo robot looks small and underpowered surrounded by the huge robotic arms that weld, bolt and inspect Mercedes' latest cars at the Berlin-Marienfelde plant. But hosting a robot with a human "form-factor" is more than just a photo opportunity, according to Mercedes-Benz. "There's one big advantage," says Jorg Burzer, head of production and supply chain management at the German carmaker. "A humanoid robot is flexible, so you can basically introduce it to an assembly line or internal logistics or quality inspection... you can basically move it from one place to another." Introducing a new assembly line, or upgrading an old one with traditional robotic arms is a major investment. A robot that can be adapted to a range of tasks and work alongside humans would avoid that investment. With hands and feet like ours, they can operate tools and work in the same workspaces as people. Apollo can lift more than 25kg and potentially perform repetitive tasks that are, in the words of humanoid robot developers, too "dull, dirty or dangerous" for humans. The purpose of the trial is to establish which tasks humanoid robots can usefully do and help improve the machine learning and dexterity required to do more. "We want to try to find out what is really possible," says Mr Burzer. "It's also very important to test how a humanoid robot can be integrated in running production together with our colleagues working here every day." Texas-based Apptronik is reluctant to make claims as bold as some of their rivals. "Everyone's ready for a robot to come into their home and do all of their laundry and all the things that they don't want to do. But it's very early on," says Mr Cardenas. "Take the analogy of the shift to the personal computer. We're in the early '80s so at the very beginning." Investors seem to believe in a robot-dominated future. One recent forecast sees the humanoid market growing 20-fold in the next eight years, with predictions of a population of tens of millions of the machines by 2050. One major hurdle is the AI brains behind them. Apptronik admits a truly "general purpose" robot capable of functioning outside a predictable and controlled environment like a factory won't be possible until computer intelligence can understand the real world like we do. So-called "world models" are very much a work in progress for AI developers. So the important questions, like when humanoid robots will steal our jobs, or whether they will go rogue and rise up against us can wait... for a little while at least.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Austin robotics startup secures $13.5M in funding after winning SXSW Pitch award
An Austin-based robotics startup has secured millions in funding after winning the South by Southwest Conference and Festival's Pitch Award. Contoro Inc. recently filed paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission stating the start-up has raised $13.5 million from 11 investors. The company had previously raised $8.5 million from backers like South Korean firm SV Investment, Bass Investment, Future Play, Kakao Ventures and UT Seed Fund, among others. Contoro develops autonomous robots, called "Dock Duck," for trailer and container unloading, with its primary technology being the artificial intelligence and remote operation of its robotic arms. The company is led by founder and CEO Youngmok 'Mok' Yun, who also co-founded the Austin-based robotic rehabilitation startup Harmonic Bionics. The additional funding comes after the company announced its bots have unloaded at least a hundred trucks through its partnerships with States Logistics. Contoro was one of two Austin-based startups to win pitch awards during SXSW's first weekend. The company won in the robotics, web3, voice & extended reality category. The other Austin company, Polygraf AI, won the enterprise, smart data, fintech and future of work category as well as best in show. Contoro did not respond to requests for comment. Contoro is not the only Austin-based startup to see large amounts of funding in recent months. More: At SXSW, Austin-based Apptronik, NASA explore what humanoid robots could do in space Apptronik received additional $53 million investment led by Mercedes-Benz last week for the company's autonomous humanoid robots, called Apollo. Mercedes is also planning to incorporate the startups's robots in its manufacturing lines in the near future. And NinjaOne, an Austin startup that makes an endpoint monitoring and management platform that helps IT professionals and companies secure computer devices, recently announced that it had raised $500 million in a funding round at a $5 billion valuation. The funding more than doubled the company's value from a year ago. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin robotics startup raises $13.5M after winning SXSW Pitch award
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Should Auto Workers Fear Humanoid Robots or AI?
Mercedes-Benz reveals progress with the integration of robots and AI into car production processes, with both now being tested by the automaker. The Apptronik Apollo humanoid robot is one of several now being readied by developers for factory and warehouse work, with expectations of a future market for robots of its type for physical work. AI virtual agents and chatbots are also being integrated into engineering systems, allowing them to quickly diagnose issues with computer code and other systems and offer solutions to engineers. Tesla may have gotten plenty of publicity for its Optimus robot despite being a relatively late arrival into the humanoid robot genre, but it's far from the only automaker now betting on robots. Mercedes-Benz is now one of several automakers that see a role for humanoid robots in a car factory setting—an idea that would have seemed whimsical if not laughable a decade ago—and it's now taking steps to further this vision at its Berlin-Marienfelde hub for new production technologies. The robots are produced by US-based Apptronik, which got its start recently, launching at the Human Centered Robotics Lab at the University of Texas at Austin in 2016. And they're now being tested by Mercedes in a real factory setting. Mercedes says it is making a a low double-digit-million-euro investment into the startup, seeing a future for humanoid robots in vehicle assembly plants, at least when it comes to repetitive tasks that concern the sorting of parts and boxes within the factory—but perhaps not the splicing of tiny wires in some kind of electrical component. At least not yet. "Apptronik's Apollo can transport components or modules to the production line for Mercedes-Benz's highly skilled production staff to assemble and conduct initial quality checks on components," the automaker notes. Mercedes says the next step for Apollo robots will include more autonomous operations, when coupled with AI, that will make them more useful and intelligent helpers within a factory. Ultimately, there is another side to humanoid robots in factories, and over the past decade or so it has often been summed up with the phrase "job loss to automation." Mercedes does not shy away from the longer-term potential of robots in factory settings, and even points out that its employees are effectively training their potential, future replacements (or assistants, depending on your viewpoint), using augmented reality and teleoperation systems. "Mercedes-Benz employees with hands-on production experience have transferred their knowledge to Apollo using teleoperation processes and augmented reality," the automaker says. At the moment, humanoid robots may not seem like much of a threat to the jobs of auto workers. For one thing, they can't even tie their shoelaces if they were suddenly given a pair of vintage Adidas track shoes for some reason. But with another decade of development we can't rule it out, and neither should those humans currently employed by automakers and suppliers. Simultaneously, Mercedes-Benz is also working to integrate AI into its production processes, at least at the level of chatbots and virtual agents. The potential promised by these AI-supported virtual assistants is the ability to quickly and effectively analyze data, Mercedes says, including helping human engineers quickly find reasons for quality deviations during production. "These AI agents quickly and reliably analyze available data, identify patterns and anomalies, and provide well-founded analyses and suggested solutions at the touch of a button, driving real efficiency gains in production," Mercedes notes. Mercedes isn't the only automaker that sees a future for AI in software engineering, but it is one that perhaps faces fewer barriers to implementation across a wide range of systems compared to humanoid robots. At this point it may feel like AI has had a head start on humanoid robots when it comes to tech that could be used by automakers, but those who remember Asimo know that it's a very different picture. Considered separately, these two technologies may have limited immediate potential to transform a car factory. But taken together, they could make the inside of an auto plant look very different another decade from now. Will humanoid robots be common in car factories 10 years from now, or will they remain a relatively niche technology? Please comment below.
Miami Herald
22-03-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Your next Mercedes-Benz may be made entirely by an advanced robot
These days, it is nearly impossible to separate works of once-speculative fiction from our reality. One of my favorite video games is Detroit: Become Human, a 2018 decision-based game that takes place in a futuristic world filled with lifelike humanoid robots. Get expert insights and actionable trade alerts from veteran investing experts and hedge fund managers. Join TheStreet Pro today and get first month FREE Besides being a game that can have multiple and wildly different endings depending on the decisions you make throughout the game, it is a peek into a world some of the brightest and most optimistic technologists have in mind for our future. But as the cost of labor increases in manufacturing settings, the lines between fantasy and reality are being blurred as another major automaker is attempting to enhance production capabilities with advanced humanoid robots. Luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz has announced that it has begun a trial using humanoid robots on the production line at one of its factories in Germany. Specifically, these robots are the Apollo robots made by Apptronik, an Austin, Texas-based robotics firm that the automaker invested heavily in back in March 2024. According to Apptronik, the Apollo robots have "a form factor that roughly matches the size of a human worker." They are at an average height of five feet, eight inches (68 inches, or roughly 173 centimeters) tall, weigh 160 pounds, and have the ability to lift up to 55 pounds. More Automotive: The most reliable new hybrids in 2025New car buyers are in for good news about inflated pricesBMW's newest Mini Cooper is a cool car for buyers on a budget At the Berlin-Marienfelde factory, these robots are initially being used for internal logistics and repetitive tasks, such as moving components and modules to the assembly line for skilled human technicians to install on cars. They can also be used to make initial quality inspections of parts to be installed on cars on the factory floor, a repetitive task that a human would typically carry out. Mercedes says that its employees have been involved in training these robots through teleoperation and augmented reality, allowing them to work entirely autonomously and without supervision. Additionally, if the robots run low on power, they are able to walk over to a power source and plug themselves in to recharge. The Berlin-Marienfelde factory is part of the Mercedes-Benz Digital Factory Campus, a testbed and innovation center for its production facilities. Already, workers at the plant use advanced artificial intelligence technology in the form of a digital factory chatbot that can be used to help workers solve common factory floor problems, as well as machine maintenance issues. Related: BMW's newest innovation may sound the alarm for the UAW Mercedes is far from the only automaker experimenting with robots on the factory floor. Tesla (TSLA) has been experimenting with further integrating its own Optimus humanoid robots both in its factories and outside with customers. In August 2024, Bavarian luxury rival BMW did an experiment run of humanoid robots to "save employees from having to perform ergonomically awkward and tiring tasks," For several weeks, the automaker conducted a trial run of the Figure 02 humanoid robot from California company Figure. The robot "successfully inserted sheet metal parts into specific fixtures, which were then assembled as part of the chassis," a job that requires workers to be "particularly dexterous." In 2024, state-owned Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motors brought an AI-powered robot to its factory, where it also helped with quality inspections and logistics. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
