Core77

New Humanoid Robot Design with Off Button, Other Desirable Features

Apptronik's Apollo 'bot

By Rain Noe - August 27, 2023

in Tech

Cool new humanoid robot design! This one is by startup Apptronik, which was once part of UT Austin's Human Centered Robotics Lab, so this one might not kill us.

It's called Apollo, and it's meant to ~~steal jobs from~~ assist warehouse and factory workers, "eventually extending into construction, oil and gas, electronics production, retail, home delivery, elder care and countless more areas," Apptronik writes.

The company says it's "the first commercial humanoid robot that was designed for friendly interaction, mass manufacturability, high payloads and safety." It does indeed look friendlier than the robot rabble we've been seeing lately. I like its flat white face, and hope it's made of dry-erase material so you can scrawl obscene sketches or draw your own nose and mouth on it.

In actuality, its face is an E Ink display, allowing you to literally read its lips.

Would also be fun if the chest screen can play Space Invaders, with the 'bot compelled to stop whatever it's doing and remain in place for as long as you want to play.

Something I really dig, that we haven't seen in those other 'bots, is that it's got a red "Off" button on its back. I was thinking I'd like to see it on its forehead or chest, but it makes more sense on the back—that way it can't see you coming and defend itself.

As punishment, its legs can be removed and replaced with a plinth that you bolt to the floor. It will think twice before attempting to organize another revolt.

Conversely, you can reward sufficiently subservient models by gifting them a wheeled platform. Insist the other, legged robots refer to him as the "centaur" of your operation.

Did you know? When you fire a robot, you give it a cardboard box. It has to take itself apart and put all the pieces inside the box.

The company says the robot will be commercially available in 2025.

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Michael DiTullo

a year ago

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I love the sarcasm. We need to be poking fun at the absurdity of these things... while we still can... 🤖

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John Kestner

a year ago

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Rain, you've been killing it lately, particularly on the robot beat. I need this kind of snarky skepticism for everything. Kill our idols (but not all humans).

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Delmo Walters Jr.

a year ago

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Amazon will buy out the first run on general principle.

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Anthony Towers

a year ago

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if you want to stop iy, just pop a traffic cone on its head

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Andrew Braun

a year ago

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For a site that celebrates innovation and good design, this article seems like it should have been written with more professionalism and a belief in the purpose of CORE77 regardless of personal feelings toward a product

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- Christian Lockenwitz
  
  Andrew Braun
  
  a year ago
  
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  Nah, Andrew, this is Core77's signature style (well Rain's, I guess) and sets it apart from all the rest! This tongue-in-cheek cheekiness always makes me laugh - and presumably most readers here can see past the lighthearted teasing and fill in the "blanks" themselves..?
  
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- Ryan Cee
  
  Andrew Braun
  
  a year ago
  
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  The societal effects of a tool are just as if not more important than the visual aesthetics of it.
  
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PeaceSound undefined

a year ago

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A beautiful general purpose robot! Free humans from compulsory labor, people need to make personal growth, not be impersonal laborers.

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