Figure, a robotics company, has announced a commercial agreement with BMW to bring its first humanoid robot, Figure 01, to a manufacturing facility in South Carolina. The specific tasks the robot will perform have not been disclosed, but Figure has confirmed that it will start with five initial tasks, which will be rolled out gradually. The initial applications are expected to include standard manufacturing tasks such as box moving and pick and place. Figure aims to ship its first commercial robot within a year. The company is focused on creating a dexterous, human-like hand for manipulation, as it believes this is crucial for tasks requiring high dexterity. The importance of legs for maneuvering during certain tasks is also emphasized. The robot will undergo training through reinforcement learning, simulation, and teleoperation. The success of the robots in meeting BMW’s expectations will determine their long-term addition to the BMW line. Figure will lease the systems through robotics as a service (RaaS) model for the foreseeable future.
