Technical Directions
Robotics coverage relating to robot safety.
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This guide addresses the challenges of building a functional embodied intelligence lab in academia, emphasizing the importance of data pipelines over hardware procurement. It covers hardware selection, sensor configuration, data collection, simulation platforms, and software architecture, offering practical advice for avoiding common pitfalls in lab setup and operation.
To address the issue of insufficient warehouse space, Figure AI decided to melt down the F.02 robot instead of disassembling or selling it. This decision involves multiple considerations, including intellectual property protection, technical confidentiality, and asset management. Although the destruction process faced challenges in terms of site and technology, it was ultimately completed at the Finnish factory. This incident has also sparked discussions about the management of retired robots and industry standards.
Researchers at Tsinghua University have developed a new control system for humanoid robots that enables coordinated soccer-playing behavior using onboard vision. The system was tested on a real robot and achieved an 80-90% success rate in scoring goals from the front half of the field, with a 64% reduction in response time compared to a rule-based system. The study was published in Science Robotics and demonstrates a significant advancement in embodied AI and robot coordination.
MIT engineers have developed a soft, paper-thin robot that swims through water using a single layer of genetically engineered muscle cells. The robot's 'fins' are covered with live muscle cells that twitch in response to light, allowing it to flap and navigate through a watery maze. The study demonstrates the potential of biohybrid robots for delicate aquatic tasks, with the robot achieving a swimming speed of about four times its body length per minute.
This repository contains 3D-printable hardware modifications for the Unitree G1 robot, including grippers, head cameras, and backpack enclosures. It includes STL files and assembly instructions for physical customization without firmware or control code.
The Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) mission, supported by NASA, has launched with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) will service satellites in geosynchronous orbit using advanced robotics, including twin dexterous arms developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. NASA's support includes simulation tools, software analysis, and flight operators to enable in-orbit servicing and extend satellite lifespans.
NVIDIA has released SOMA-X v0.3.0, a unified framework for parametric human body models that decouples identity representation from pose parameterization. The release supports six identity backends including SOMA-shape, SMPL, and SMPL-X, and introduces native hand layers with interoperability for user-supplied MANO models. Designed for commercial use under the Apache 2.0 license, the model enables real-time simulation pipelines on NVIDIA GPUs with throughput exceeding 7,000 meshes per second on an A100. The core pipeline relies on closed-form analytical modules rather than learned neural networks, though an optional shallow MLP can be enabled for surface correction.
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