BMW Tests Humanoid Assembly Robots from Figure AI

BMW has completed a successful test of humanoid robots from Figure at its BMW Group Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina. This multiweek test of the Figure 02 robot involved tasks such as inserting sheet metal parts into fixtures for assembly as part of the chassis. This is an operation that requires high dexterity, so it is a tough test for robots.

It contrasts with Mercedes-Benz’s test of the Apollo humanoid robot in a factory environment, where it was used to move parts around the factory but not to actually participate in the assembly process. Employing robots in factory assembly jobs can spare people from performing ergonomically awkward and tiring tasks, so the BMW Group is evaluating how humanoid robots can be used safely in automotive production.

“The developments in the field of robotics are very promising,” observed Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management for Production at BMW AG. “With an early test operation, we are now determining possible applications for humanoid robots in production. We want to accompany this technology from development to industrialization.”

BMW says that the company learned some of the requirements to be met to integrate such multi-purpose humanoid robots into an existing production system. An important item is establishing how humanoid robots communicate with the system under real conditions.  With the first test concluded, now BMW manufacturing experts and Figure engineers will huddle to prepare Figure 02 for future applications in production based on the findings of the test.

Related:Mercedes Puts Apollo Robot to Work

Figure 02 locates sheetmetal in a jig in preparation for assembly. BMW

“Figure 02 has significant technical advancements, which enable the robot to perform a wide range of complex tasks fully autonomously,” said Brett Adcock, Founder and CEO of Figure. Two-legged robots with advanced dexterity are suited for use in areas with physically demanding, unsafe, or repetitive processes, the company pointed out.

As the second-generation product, Figure 02 features triple the processing power of its predecessor, along with improved voice communication, better cameras, microphones, and sensors, a high-performance battery, and fourth-generation human-scale hands with 16 degrees of freedom per hand with human-equivalent strength.

These make Figure 02 capable of autonomous execution of human-like and two-handed tasks requiring varied and dynamic manipulation, complex grasping, and coordination of both hands in unison. During the test, the robot demonstrated its ability to place complex parts with accuracy measured in millimeters. BMW isn’t using humanoid robots yet, and there isn’t even a timeline for their deployment, but this test is a step in that direction.

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