humanoid AI robot figure 02 evolves - it talks, corrects its mistakes and has a ‘common sense’

Figure unveils 02 as an upgraded humanoid AI robot

Remember the humanoid AI robot Figure 01? It has now evolved into 02. It’s still an all-round factory helper, but now, it can converse with other workers and correct its own behavior. The redesign comes out just 10 months after the unveiling of the pilot version. It also packs features that its predecessor doesn’t have. In the trailer that Figure has released, the humanoid AI robot flexes its hands with comparable dexterity to their human counterpart. It may just be a demo video, but it already hints at the direction Figure wants to take its 02 robot.

On top of that, the recent version can converse with people and mind its own work. Its speech-to-speech software allows the humanoid AI to chat with people using the embedded microphones and speakers in its body. These two are connected to custom AI models trained in partnership with OpenAI. It can also understand images and texts by itself. So far, Figure 02 has swung by the BMW manufacturing plant to test its new abilities. Here, the humanoid AI robot collected data for its AI, and the technology team conducted their case training for further improvements.

all images courtesy of Figure as well as video stills, via Youtube

All-round factory helper that can correct its own mistakes

Figure 02 seems to have a more polished look compared to its sibling. Its matte-looking body helps separate its head, in which lots of the technologies involved, such as the microphones and the six RGB cameras, are planted. These cameras activate the humanoid AI robot’s Visual Language Model. It’s a kind of software that can understand and process what the robot sees, both images and texts. In this way, it can make sense of the information, including instructions and descriptions, which are necessary for when it starts working like an all-round manufacturing worker. Figure also introduces 02 as a robot that has a ‘self-correcting learned behavior.’

This can entail that the factory helper can recognize its own mistakes, learn from them, and adjust their actions to update what they first learned. This feature can make sure this mistake doesn’t happen again if the humanoid AI robot tries to do the same action again. All of this happens automatically, without a human needing to step in and reprogram the robot. The technology company’s recent model also comes with a 2.25 KWh custom battery pack. It is located in the robot’s torso and can deliver up to 50 percent more energy, the company says. This means it can prolong the runtime of the humanoid AI robot, making sure it can help the production as much as it can.

the humanoid AI robot can converse with other workers and correct its own behavior

Figure 02 can bend, twist and rotate its own fingers

Figure 02 has what the company describes as 4th generation hands. They refer to the latest version of the humanoid AI robot’s advanced hands, which are about the same size as human hands. They have ‘16 degrees of freedom’ meaning they can move in 16 different ways or directions. For example, the robot can bend, twist, or rotate its fingers on its own and in different directions. These hands seem to be strong too, given their update, which is necessary so they can do tasks that require force, such as lifting, placing, or gripping objects. Its body also has integrated wires and cables that power the robot, so people can’t see them from the outside.

In terms of its CPU and GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), Figure says that its humanoid AI robot has three times more processing power than its sibling. This helps it handle a lot more information and make decisions for itself faster and more accurately. All this processing power is built directly into the robot, so it doesn’t need to rely on external computers to work. In this way, Figure 02 can perform these tasks all by itself without needing help or instructions from a human or an external computer. As of publishing the story, Figure has yet to identify the release of 02 but states that its humanoid AI robot has already been tested at a BMW manufacturing plant.

rear view of the humanoid AI robot, Figure 02