Sanctuary AI, a Canadian robotics company, has made significant strides in humanoid robot development, unveiling the latest iteration of its general-purpose humanoid, Phoenix. The company has been refining its humanoid robots for several years, with a focus on tasks such as labeling boxes, bagging groceries, moving packages, and soldering. While initial demonstrations often involved teleoperation, the goal is to enable autonomous task performance.
Phoenix, introduced as a bipedal version along with the AI control system Carbon, aimed to imbue human-like intelligence into the robot, enabling it to handle a wide range of tasks. The seventh generation of Sanctuary’s humanoid builds upon the previous model’s capabilities, with improvements such as increased uptime for training and data capture, enhanced visual perception and tactile sensing, and expanded range of motion in the wrists, hands, and elbows.
One notable advancement is the reduction in the time it takes for Phoenix to learn and execute new tasks autonomously, now accomplished in under 24 hours, a significant improvement from previous iterations. This marks a pivotal moment in task automation speed and autonomous system capability. Additionally, cost reductions in build materials and smaller hydraulic systems contribute to lower manufacturing costs, while improvements in the build process facilitate faster production.
The seventh generation of humanoid robots, as asserted by Geordie Rose, Sanctuary AI’s co-founder and CEO, marks a significant milestone in achieving human-like capabilities within this technology. This advancement not only signifies progress in the realm of general-purpose AI robotics but also represents a notable step towards the realization of artificial general intelligence.
Advancements in humanoid robot technology continue to unfold, with the recent strategic partnership between Sanctuary AI and Magna signaling a burgeoning acknowledgment of these robots’ potential across diverse sectors. Particularly noteworthy is their anticipated impact on industries such as automotive manufacturing, underscoring the increasingly apparent applications and implications of humanoid robots across various industries.
“With Generation 7, we have a system that we believe is the most closely analogous to a person of any available,” said co-founder and CEO of Sanctuary AI, Geordie Rose. “We see this as not only the cornerstone of general purpose AI robotics but a critical step on the path to artificial general intelligence, and we’re thrilled to be leading the charge on it.”
Anticipated is an upcoming interview featuring Sanctuary’s co-founder and CTO, Suzanne Gildert, which promises deeper insights into the company’s strategic vision and technological innovations. Collectively, the swift advancements in humanoid robot development highlight the transformative potential of AI and robotics across diverse spheres of society and industry.
