Robot Updates #1
Construction bots, underwater around the world, and humanoid robot updates.
Welcome to Robot Updates #1, where I cover all the latest and greatest in the world of robotics as we head towards a Jetsons style future.
As with last week’s update on AI, let me know what you think of this one in terms of format and content. It’s also a little dated, containing only what I had ready for Techno-Optimist #32, but the next one will have all the latest and greatest.
Alright, let’s dive in (before the robots take over this newsletter).
“Robotics is not just a field of science; it’s a canvas for art, innovation, and progress.”
–Rodney Brooks
An Australian company has built a construction robot they’re calling Charlotte, “billed as being autonomously capable of building a 2,150-sq-ft (200-sq-m) home in a single day – operating at roughly the speed of 100 bricklayers.” The “spiderbot” uses 3D printing to do its work, with applications everywhere from good old terra firma, to places like the Moon or Mars. I imagine several working together could also speed things up even more.
In what really will be a world first, an autonomous robot called Redwing has set off to circumnavigate the globe—underwater. Launched back on October 10th, the plan if for Redwing to roughly follow the route taken by Ferdinand Magellan when he made his famous voyage around the world back in the 1500s. Like Magellan’s multiyear trip, the autonomous submersible will take at least 5 years to complete its journey at an average speed of 0.75 knots (1.4 km/hr, 0.86 miles/hr).
Figure Robotics has introduced Figure 03, the newest version of its humanoid robot. Not gonna lie, it’s a pretty impressive video, particularly as nothing the robot did was teleoperated. We’re not quite at the Jetsons yet, but it’s getting close.
Chinese robotics company Unitree has been showing off the skills of their humanoid Unitree G1, basically doing kung fu and flips. Apparently, they’re now shipping the robot through Walmart, all yours for the low low price of $21,600. Not entirely sure what you’d use it for (practice your kung fu?), but there you go.
That’s all for now, Robot Updates will be back four weeks from now. Let me know what you thought of this one!
Thank you all for reading—and until next time, keep your eyes on the horizon.
-Owen
We don't have to worry until one of these robots can WIN a Kung Fu match....