Figure teases F.03, its next-gen humanoid model
PLUS: Hyundai plans massive robot order, Shenzhen's robot-friendly zone, and firefighting robodogs
Welcome back to your Robot Briefing
Figure just showed off its F.03 humanoid at a company holiday party, marking a surprisingly quick jump from the F.02 that only recently started working at BMW factories. The rapid hardware iteration suggests humanoid robotics may be entering a smartphone-style development cycle, where new models arrive faster than anyone expected.
Is this the sign that commercial humanoids are finally ready to scale, or are companies rushing to market before the technology is truly ready?
In today's Robot update:
Figure teases 'F.03' humanoid model as production race heats up
Snapshot: Figure CEO Brett Adcock unveiled the F.03, the company's next-generation humanoid robot, at a company holiday party featuring both the new model and its predecessor on stage.
Breakdown:
Takeaway: Figure's quick progression from F.02 to F.03 signals that humanoid robotics companies are entering a phase of rapid hardware refinement similar to early smartphone development cycles. The public teaser suggests Figure is building confidence in its manufacturing capabilities and preparing for larger-scale deployments.
Hyundai plans massive order for 'tens of thousands' of robots
Snapshot: Hyundai Motor Group plans to purchase tens of thousands of robots in the coming years as part of an expanded partnership with Boston Dynamics. The automotive giant announced a $21 billion U. S. investment, including $6 billion dedicated to innovation and strategic partnerships with American companies.
Breakdown:
Takeaway: This marks one of the largest commercial robot commitments announced to date, signaling that humanoids are moving from pilot programs to production-scale deployment. The partnership combines Hyundai's manufacturing expertise with Boston Dynamics' robotics leadership to accelerate the broader industry's growth trajectory.
Shenzhen unveils China's first 'Robot-Friendly' city zone
Image Source: Gemini / There's A Robot for That
Snapshot: Shenzhen unveiled a framework to create China's first robot-friendly demonstration zone, where humanoid robots can transition from closed lab training to open street practice in real neighborhoods.
Breakdown:
Takeaway: This infrastructure signals China's shift from research to large-scale commercial deployment of humanoid robots in everyday urban settings. The zone addresses a critical gap between lab development and real-world application, potentially accelerating the timeline for robots to operate autonomously in public spaces.
Robot dog fleet deployed to fight wildfires
Snapshot: DEEP Robotics has deployed China's first robot dog patrol team for forest fire prevention in the West Lake area. The quadruped robots use embodied AI to monitor terrain and detect fire risks early.
Breakdown:
Takeaway: Using robots for wildfire patrol addresses a critical gap in fire prevention by maintaining constant surveillance in remote forest areas. This deployment shows how autonomous systems are moving from experimental projects into active duty for public safety applications.
Other Top Robot Stories
Agility Robotics' Digit Reaches Major Warehouse Milestone Read more - The bipedal humanoid robot Digit has now moved over 100,000 totes in real-world warehouse deployments, marking a significant achievement in commercial humanoid robotics. This milestone demonstrates the maturity of legged robots for logistics applications.
Sanctuary AI Deploys Phoenix in Retail Read more - Sanctuary AI's Phoenix humanoid robot has been commercially deployed in retail environments where it successfully completed 110 different tasks. This deployment showcases the versatility of general-purpose humanoid robots in dynamic retail settings.
GITAI Developing Robotic Arms for Lunar and Martian Infrastructure Read more - Space robotics company GITAI is advancing robotic arm technology designed to build infrastructure on the Moon and Mars. The company is actively hiring as it works toward enabling autonomous construction capabilities for future space missions.
🤖 Your robotics thought for today:
Figure's pushing F.03 before F.02 even scales at BMW—does that mean iterating in public is now worth more than proving deployments work?
What's your take?
Until tomorrow,
Uli
