Sanctuary AI, a Vancouver-based company, unveiled its sixth-generation robot called Phoenix, which is designed to offer “work-as-a-service” to address the workplace challenges facing organizations today. They built this general-purpose robot with advanced AI capabilities, allowing it to seamlessly integrate into the workforce in various industries. The company’s unique ‘work as a service’ business model allows customers to rent these robots and pay negotiated rates for work performed, rather than invest in one themselves. Meanwhile, Tesla has announced its latest venture: Optimus, a humanoid robot that promises to free humans from “dangerous, repetitive and boring” tasks. They recently previewed the robot, which features advanced sensors and AI capabilities.
Meet Phoenix, the world’s first commercially available general-purpose humanoid robot
Phoenix is the world’s first general-purpose humanoid robot powered by Carbon™, an advanced artificial intelligence software system designed to give it human-like intelligence. Completed “110 retail-related tasks, including picking and packing merchandise, cleaning, labeling, folding, and more.” Phoenix features extremely dexterous robotic hands with 20 degrees of freedom of movement. It allows you to manipulate objects like a human hand. The hands incorporate proprietary haptic technology that allows the robot to “feel” like humans do.
Carbon™: a revolutionary cognitive architecture and software platform for robots
Carbon™ is a revolutionary cognitive architecture and software platform for general purpose humanoid robots. It integrates modern artificial intelligence technologies to translate natural language into action in the real world. Carbon™ allows Phoenix to think and act like a person to complete tasks. The system uses explainable and auditable reasoning, task and movement plans, symbolic and logical reasoning along with modern LLMs for general knowledge, domain-specific integrations and extensions, goal-seeking and agency behaviors, and deep learning and reinforcement learning. It also employs photorealistic world simulations and realistic physics for robot training and human supervision on the track, teleoperation and fleet management.
Tesla shows progress on Optimus Bot
Tesla, known for its AI-enabled cars, is now working on a humanoid robot, Optimus. They shared the first glimpse of the bot at the shareholder meeting this week.
The Tesla Bot will help humans free themselves from dangerous, boring and repetitive tasks. The humanoid is 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 125 pounds, and can lift objects heavier than himself. The test video shows Optimus picking things up, stacking boxes, and helping with mechanical work.
Future of Robotics: Pervasive AI Incorporation of the Real World
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has been working on developing pervasive real-world AI for Tesla’s fully autonomous cars, which could be incorporated into humanoid robots like Optimus. Musk believes that every person would want at least one robot, and estimates his demand is 10 to 20 billion units.
Our opinion
Sanctuary AI’s release of a humanoid robot for hire is a revolutionary step in the field of robotics. As organizations continue to face employment challenges, this technology could help fill gaps in the job market. With the integration of advanced AI software systems like Carbon™ and the possible incorporation of widespread real-world AI developed by Tesla, we can expect to see even more sophisticated robots in the future.
