Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas particulars the Apollo humanoid

By Mike Oitzman | August 23, 2023

Hearken to this text

The humanoid robotic market is rapidly maturing. Our visitor this week is Apptronik CEO and co-founder Jeff Cardenas. He tells the in-depth story in regards to the growth of legged robotics and humanoids at Apptronik and the launch of the corporate’s first business humanoid robotic, Apollo.

With the launch of Apollo, Apptronik joins a rising variety of high-profile robotics firms within the race to develop a multi-purpose humanoid. Apptronik has a wealthy historical past in legged robotics, having labored on the primary technology of NASA Valkyrie robotic, and a number of generations of exoskeletons since its founding in 2016.

We will probably be discussing the state of humanoids within the opening keynote panel of RoboBusiness 2023. The dialogue will function Geordie Rose, co-founder and CEO of Sanctuary, Cardenas, and Jonathan Hurst, co-founder and chief robotic officer of Agility Robotics. The panel will share firsthand insights into the challenges and alternatives that lie forward and talk about the industries poised to be early adopters of those exceptional creations.

12:45 Dialog with Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics on the 2B choose milestone

27:11 Interview with Cardenas

Information this week:

Cruise pressured to chop robotaxi fleet in half

• The transfer comes after Cruise autonomous automobiles had been concerned in a number of crashes in San Francisco this week the place the self-driving automobiles appeared to stall in intersections, together with one on Thursday evening when it collided with a fireplace truck.
• “The DMV is in touch with Cruise and regulation enforcement officers to find out the details and requested Cruise to instantly  cut back its energetic fleet of working automobiles by 50% till the investigation is full and Cruise takes applicable corrective actions to enhance street security.” Cruise has agreed to function not more than 50 robotaxis throughout the day and 150 at evening till the DMV concludes its investigation into how one of many GM subsidiary’s autonomous Chevrolet Bolts collided with a fireplace truck final week.
• The information follows on the heels of the latest story that the CPUC voted to grant Cruise & Waymo last permits

Locus surpassed its 2 billion choose milestone earlier this week

• Locus CEO Rick Faulk offers us a fast replace on reaching this milestone.
  • Reaching this milestone took simply 358 days, with the final 100 million picks taking simply 27 days – a mean of three.7 million picks per day. By comparability, it took greater than six years to make the primary billion picks, and 1,542 days to choose the primary 100 million items.

The large information is the Apptronik Apollo humanoid product launched right this moment.

• Listed here are the essential specs for the brand new Apollo humanoid robotic:
  • Peak: 5’8”
  • Weighs: 160 lbs
  • Can elevate 55 lbs
  • 4-hour runtime with a swappable battery
• Options:
  • It gained’t have an articulated hand and fingers in its first technology.
  • The primary functions will probably be selecting up and shifting crates, totes, and bins. All of which don’t require high quality manipulation from a hand.
  • Goal functions: warehouse, logistics and sortation
  • Apptronik has developed a novel, electrical linear actuator for Apollo and is introducing a design with no rotatory axis.