Robots are flipping out (literally) | 🤖 weekly digest
From Webster flips to lifelike faces, here’s what’s new in robotics this week.
TLDR: Figure AI scales humanoid learning through residential video datasets, Unitree G1 masters Webster flips, Pan Motor’s Wuji Hand achieves 300,000-cycle durability, LeRobot enables smartphone teleoperation for robotic arms, and AheadForm creates lifelike robot faces with 30 degrees of emotional expression.
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Let’s get into the latest developments in robotics.
Figure AI launches Project Go-Big for world’s largest humanoid pretraining dataset. The F.02 humanoid learns directly from human video through partnership with Brookfield’s 100,000+ residential units for comprehensive behavioral data collection. Scaling embodied intelligence through residential environment observation rather than controlled demonstration scenarios.
AheadForm creates humanoid robot heads with 30 DOF lifelike facial expressions. The Elf series features self-supervised AI algorithms driving brushless motors for blinking, glancing, and emotional display through synchronized speech. Expressive robotics advancing human-robot interaction through nuanced facial communication.
Pan Motor debuts Wuji Hand with 20 active DOFs and 300,000-cycle durability. The sub-600g hand delivers 15N fingertip force, 10kg static grasp, and 30 arcminute accuracy across 4 DOF per finger. Industrial dexterous manipulation achieving both precision and longevity for sustained manufacturing applications.
LeRobot enables smartphone teleoperation for follower arm control. The SO101 setup now supports direct phone-based robot manipulation while adding pipeline features for recording and training AI models in end-effector space. Consumer hardware integration democratizing robotic development through accessible control interfaces and flexible training frameworks.
Unitree G1 executes Webster flip through Beijing Institute for General AI training. The humanoid performs the advanced gymnastic maneuver showcasing dynamic control and aerial coordination capabilities. Athletic robotics progressing from basic locomotion to complex acrobatic sequences requiring precise timing and balance.
From massive residential datasets training humanoid behavior to smartphone-controlled robotic arms, this week demonstrates democratization across multiple scales. Lifelike facial expressions and athletic acrobatics reveal machines mastering both social interaction and physical performance. The progression from laboratory demonstrations to regulatory-approved public road operation shows autonomous systems transitioning into practical deployment.
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