BMW tests humanoid robots in production.

Artificial Intelligence BMW Tests Humanoid Robots in Production Line

2024-08-07 From Thomas Günnel | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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BMW has tested humanoid robots at its Spartanburg plant in the US. In the body shop, they performed tasks usually carried out by humans.

BMW has tested the humanoid robot "Figure 02" at the Spartanburg plant.(Image: BMW) — BMW has tested the humanoid robot "Figure 02" at the Spartanburg plant.
(Image: BMW)

BMW has tested humanoid robots in production line. The robot "Figure 02" from the Californian company Figure successfully inserted sheet metal parts into fixtures during tests in the body shop at the Spartanburg plant. The parts were then assembled as part of the bodywork. This sounds banal, but it is far from ordinary automation.

The robot can autonomously perform human-like and two-handed tasks. These include movements that require "diverse and dynamic manipulations, complex gripping, and the coordination of both hands in harmony," BMW announces. Figure 02 can place complex parts with millimeter precision and move dynamically. According to a statement, BMW sees application scenarios for Figure 02 in ergonomically unfavorable and tiring tasks.

According to its manufacturer, the robot model is the most advanced humanoid robot currently available on the market. Compared to its predecessor, it has three times the computing power, better voice communication, better cameras —six of them—, microphones and sensors, a more powerful battery, and new hands. They are now the size of a human hand and can move in 16 degrees of freedom. Their strength is comparable to that of a human hand.

The technical data of Figure 02

The robot is around 1.68 meters tall and weighs 70 kilograms. Its payload is 20 kilograms. It moves at around 4.3 kilometers per hour. For comparison: the average walking speed of a human is around five kilometers per hour. The running time—literally—is five hours. The energy is supplied by an integrated battery with a capacity of 2.25 kilowatt-hours.

For the underlying artificial intelligence, Figure works with Open AI, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The goal is a "data machine" that converts the collected information into training data and should keep it available for humanoid fleets using neural networks.

The video from the BMW plant clearly shows that the robots can correct their own mistakes independently.

Conclude contents and react to them

The robot's capabilities include what is known as language-to-language thinking. That is: The robot is supposed to understand questions, match their content with its surroundings, and take this into account in its responses and reactions. A demonstration—with model 01 and independently of use at BMW - shows at what level the robot's artificial intelligence is. The setting: a table, on it a tablet with an apple, a dish dryer with plates and a glass.

When a developer asked if he could have something to eat, the robot grabbed the apple and passed it on. When asked why it reacted, the robot replied in essence: "The apple was the only edible thing on the table."

Integrate humanoids into the production system

With the test, BMW wanted to find out which requirements so-called multipurpose robots must meet in order to integrate them into an existing production system. This includes how humanoid robots communicate with the production system in practice. The developers at BMW and Figure are evaluating the results and further developing the robot.

Gallery

The robots insert sheets into a fixture.(Image: BMW)

They work in body shops at workstations that are usually operated by humans.(Image: BMW)

The robot's hands have 16 degrees of freedom and a gripping force comparable to that of a human.(Image: BMW)

BMW has tested humanoid robots at its Spartanburg factory in the USA.(Image: BMW)

The Optimus Gen2 from Tesla was one of the highlights at the World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. China and the USA are battling for supremacy in artificial intelligence. (Image:Tesla)

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