The technology company 'Accelerated Evolution', dedicated to humanoid robot research and development, has completed hundreds of millions in pre-A funding, with investors including Bianshi Times, Minyin International, Zhongguancun Science City, and iCANX Fund, along with follow-up investment from Inno Angel. The funds will primarily be used for the development of a general ontology and enhancement of software development capabilities. CEO Cheng Hao pointed out that the AI-driven humanoid robot boom, especially the demand for vehicles of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), is driving the transition of humanoid robots from specialization to generalization. The company's phase one commercial positioning is to provide developers with general biped robots.

Noted robotics expert David Hanson has joined WorkFar Robotics as Chief Executive Advisor, focusing on innovations in human-robot collaboration technology. WorkFar is dedicated to providing intelligent humanoid robot solutions for the warehousing and manufacturing industries, aimed at addressing labor shortages. Hanson, along with his team, developed the 'Syntro' synthetic robot, which combines artificial intelligence with remote human control technology to ensure safe operation in high-risk tasks. Additionally, Hanson plans to send his created robot 'Sophia' to Mars.

Dongyi Technology, a humanoid robot company established in June 2024, has completed an angel round financing of tens of millions, led by Fengrui Capital and Z Fund, with several well-known investment institutions participating. The company's founder, Ren Xiaoyu, has extensive experience in bipedal humanoid robots and reinforcement learning development. Currently, humanoid robots excel in performing single tasks but face challenges in achieving diverse and generalized actions, limiting their potential for integration with multimodal large models. Dongyi Technology is committed to developing innovative behavioral AI agents and a new generation of humanoid robots.

The humanoid AI robot named Adam made its debut at a Walmart in Rockford, Illinois, marking the first deployment of a beverage robot in the U.S. and the launch of AlphaMax Management. Adam is capable of intelligent conversation and drink preparation, serving up to 200 beverages daily. Programmed and maintained by Richtech Robotics, it specializes in coffee and boba drinks. Customers can conveniently order and pay via an integrated touchscreen. Th....

Tesla has posted a job opening for motion capture artists to assist in the development of the humanoid robot 'Optimus', offering a pay rate of up to $48 per hour. Applicants must meet specific criteria, including height and physical fitness requirements. The job involves wearing a VR headset, executing test routes, and recording data. Tesla has already utilized Optimus for internal battery handling and plans to launch a truly useful humanoid robot by 2025, with a target for commercial production in 2026. Musk is optimistic about the potential of Optimus, believing it will bring unlimited possibilities to the economy.

NAVIAI 2.0, independently developed by the Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, is a humanoid robot that stands 1.65 meters tall, weighs 60 kilograms, boasts 41 degrees of freedom, and has an AI computing power of 275 Tops. It showcases exceptional performance and a highly anthropomorphic design, with the ability to execute smooth and natural movements. It can perform complex tasks such as giving speeches, making tea, and playing chess, demonstrating a very high level of anthropomorphic motion mapping execution ability. At the exhibition, it not only served as the host but also displayed its ability to quickly learn new movements and perform high-precision tasks in industrial settings.

Researchers from the University of Tokyo, in collaboration with Alternative Machine Company, have made a new breakthrough by developing the humanoid robot system Alter3, which can directly map natural language commands to robotic actions. Powered by the GPT-4 technology, it can perform a series of complex tasks, such as taking selfies or impersonating a ghost.

Nvidia provides strong support for robotic innovation through projects like Isaac and Jetson. The GR00T project aims to create a unified platform for robot manufacturers, involving several well-known companies. Nvidia has launched the Jetson Thor hardware to simplify the design and integration of humanoid robots. The GTC robotics announcements include the Isaac Manipulator and Isaac Perceptor projects. Nvidia faces a collective lawsuit from writers, accusing the company of using copyrighted works for AI training without permission.

["The humanoid robot Figure01, powered by ChatGPT, can assist with household tasks.","The robot uses ChatGPT to perform basic autonomous tasks and engage in real-time conversations.","Figure AI demonstrates how the robot can recognize objects, plan actions, and reflect on memories.","Figure01 interacts with people, executes household tasks, and showcases potential applications."]

Figure AI is an emerging humanoid robotics company that has surpassed a valuation of $2.6 billion within less than two years of its founding. The company's team includes top talent from Silicon Valley's tech scene, including Jerry Pratt. Its core technology is based on the coupling capabilities of collaborative robots, utilizing generative AI technology for human-machine interaction. The investor lineup is strong, with their investments acting more like orders for the company, demonstrating the immense potential within the industry. The emergence of Figure AI is viewed as the dawn of a new era for humanoid robots, garnering significant attention.

Figure AI has raised 4.8 billion yuan, achieving a valuation of 2.6 billion dollars. They are collaborating with OpenAI to develop AGI robots using the GPT series of large models. Their product, the physical robot '01', can be applied in fields such as warehousing, housekeeping, and security. This financing will promote the commercial deployment of Figure products and accelerate the research and application of AGI robots.

CES 2024 has become a feast for domestic robots, showcasing humanoid, wheeled, bipedal, and quadrupedal robots. Microsoft CEO Nadella visited the domestic humanoid robot created by Kepler, highlighting the competitive strength of domestic technology. The robotics industry demonstrated improvements in practicality, including innovative products for home assistance, healthcare, education, and industrial applications. In home scenarios, Samsung's Ballie patrols and monitors while also having projection capabilities, and LG's AI butler achieves intelligent interaction through emotion analysis. There are also widespread applications in industrial and medical fields, with Kepler showcasing its general humanoid robot.

In 2024, 1X has become the focus of attention in the technology industry for advancing the humanoid robotics field. Tech giants like Tesla, Apptronik, and Figure have entered the competitive humanoid robotics space. 1X partnered with OpenAI to secure $23.5 million in funding, followed by a $100 million Series B round. 1X's core product, NEO, aims to address the global labor shortage, facing both technological and conceptual challenges. The company emphasizes a human-centered approach, committed to rewarding the success of its team members.

Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus Gen 2 is now online, showcasing two and a half years of practice. The new robot features more agile hands and a lightweight body, demonstrating movements such as finger extension and head rotation. The advancements in Optimus Gen 2 are significant, with the new hands having 11 degrees of freedom, excelling at handling fine objects. The robot displays new capabilities, including object classification and yoga movements, highlighting an impressive pace of development. We hope Tesla continues to innovate and applies robotic technology to more practical scenarios.

Amazon has begun testing the Digit robot, which resembles a human and is designed for warehousing tasks. Digit is not intended to replace warehouse workers but to work alongside them. Amazon emphasizes that the purpose of the robot is to improve efficiency, not to replace employees.

{1:BYD invested nearly 2 million yuan in Zhiyuan Robotics, becoming its 7th largest shareholder and making its debut in the humanoid robot field. 2:Zhiyuan Robotics plans to deploy its first expedition A1 robot in factories, enabling automatic assembly and other functions by adjusting the large model. 3:The humanoid robot field is booming, with numerous tech companies and academic institutions actively making moves.}

Tesla's Optimus ignites the craze for humanoid robots, while large models empower humanoid robots. However, technical challenges and commercialization hurdles still exist.

Humanoid robots demonstrate the level of AI development and cutting-edge directions. The humanoid robot developed by 1X company features safety and realistic appearance. Humanoid robots have wide applications in workplaces, healthcare, and households.