Apptronik partners with Google DeepMind to advance humanoid robots with AI

By Eugene Demaitre | December 19, 2024

A year full of humanoid robot news is ending with more developments. Apptronik Inc. today announced that it has partnered with the Google DeepMind robotics team. The companies said the strategic partnership will combine artificial intelligence with robotics hardware, enabling humanoids to be more helpful to people in dynamic environments.

“We’re building a future where humanoid robots address urgent global challenges,” asserted Jeff Cardenas, co-founder and CEO of Apptronik. “By combining Apptronik’s cutting-edge robotics platform with the Google DeepMind robotics team’s unparalleled AI expertise, we’re creating intelligent, versatile, and safe robots that will transform industries and improve lives.”

Other companies working on advancing AI and humanoids include Hillbot, Persona AI, LimX Dynamics, NVIDIA, and Sanctuary AI.

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Apollo the culmination of Apptronik design work

Spun out of the Human Centered Robotics Lab at the University of Texas at Austin in 2016, Apptronik now has 150 employees. The company said it has nearly a decade of experience in human-centered design and hardware designed for safety and reliability. Its team has worked on 15 previous robots, including NASA’s Valkyrie Robot.

Apptronik has developed the Apollo humanoid to perform physically demanding tasks and operate safely in industrial spaces alongside humans. The robot is 5 ft., 8 in. (172.2 cm) tall and weighs 160 lb. (72.5 kg).

Apollo is designed to balance complexity and functionality for initial application in manufacturing and logistics, said the company. The robot earned Apptronik a 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for its bespoke linear actuators. 

Numerous companies are developing humanoids, such as 1X, Agility Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Figure AI, Fourier, Realbotix, Tesla, and Unitree, but relatively few have moved to commercial trials so far.

In March, Mercedes-Benz said it is testing Apollo in automotive manufacturing. In April, Apptronik announced that it is integrating its system with NVIDIA’s Project GR00T foundation model for robot learning and agility.

In June, Apptronik said GXO Logistics Inc. is testing its humanoid for warehouse use. GXO has also deployed Agility Robotics’ Digit and is testing Reflex Robotics’ “general-purpose” humanoid.

Apptronik’s stated goal is to eventually serve in healthcare and in the home. Parker Conroy, director of product at Apptronik, spoke at RoboBusiness 2024 about AI and humanoids.

Google DeepMind builds robot brains

Google DeepMind said its robotics team brings together expertise in machine learning, engineering, and physics simulation to address the hardest challenges facing the development of AI-powered robots. The London-based unit of Alphabet Inc. claimed that it is developing “AI systems that can support robotics applications, enabling reasoning and action in the real world.”

The robotics team at DeepMind has pioneered foundation models and developed AI models such as Gemini for robotics (see video below). The Athena Lecturer Award has recognized Maja Matarić, a principal scientist at Google DeepMind, for her work with socially assistive robots.

DeepMind recently shared its progress with the ALOHA Unleashed platform for helping robots learn to perform complex two-armed manipulation tasks. The company also built DemoStart to improve the performance of a multi-fingered robotic hand with simulation.

Apptronik said its partnership with Google DeepMind builds on its momentum, with more collaborations to be announced next year.