Robot building themselves 🤖, humanoid vs. function debate 🧠, manicure robot company shuts down 💅

Machina Digest 2025-02-26

Apptronik’s humanoid robots take the first steps toward building themselves (1 minute read)

Apptronik has announced a partnership with manufacturing giant Jabil to test its Apollo humanoid robots on factory floors. If successful, Jabil will manufacture the Apollo robots in its own facilities—potentially setting the stage for robots building robots. The deal follows a $350 million Series A round and an ongoing pilot with Mercedes-Benz. While Apollo is still in testing, performing simple intralogistics tasks, the goal is to achieve commercial manufacturing by 2026. With strong backing and experience—including work on NASA’s Valkyrie—Apptronik aims to compete with rivals like Agility, Boston Dynamics, and Tesla.

Why the future of robotics isn’t necessarily humanoid (2 minute read)

While humanoid robots capture the imagination, real-world automation often demands purpose-built designs over human-like forms. The robotics industry has seen more success with specialized systems like robotic arms, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) in warehouses. Humanoid robots still face significant challenges in dexterity, balance, and efficiency, which limits their practicality. Instead of recreating human capabilities, the article argues that robotics should focus on new possibilities—like AI-powered vision systems and advanced automation that streamline logistics and boost productivity today.

SF robot firm Clockwork winds down mani-machines (1 minute read)

Clockwork, the San Francisco-based robotic manicure startup, is closing its operations and merging with competitor 10Beauty. The company, known for its $10, 10-minute "minicures," launched 22 nail-painting robots across the U.S. but never expanded beyond pilot programs. Despite raising over $10 million, Clockwork couldn't fully realize its vision of automating nail services. Its technology will live on through 10Beauty, which aims to enhance automated nail care with cuticle management and other features. The shutdown adds Clockwork to a growing list of consumer robotics firms that have struggled to find long-term success.

How to navigate IP issues in robotics (5 minute read)

The robotics industry faces unique intellectual property (IP) challenges as it balances innovation with legal protections. This comprehensive guide explores patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and copyrights as key tools for building competitive advantage. Patents offer protection for novel inventions but can be costly and complex to maintain. Trademarks help establish brand identity, while trade secrets safeguard proprietary methods. The article also highlights the risks of open-source software (OSS) compliance and the importance of data privacy, particularly with sensitive information collected by robots in healthcare and other industries.

Robust Ladder Climbing with a Quadrupedal Robot (10 minute read)

Researchers have developed a quadrupedal robot capable of climbing ladders—a first for industrial legged robots. Using a reinforcement learning-based control policy and a hooked end-effector, the robot achieves a 90% success rate at climbing ladders with inclinations of 70° to 90°. The system works consistently even with unmodeled perturbations and offers speeds 232 times faster than previous methods. This innovation expands the potential for quadruped robots beyond flat surfaces, allowing them to inspect dangerous and hard-to-reach areas in industrial environments.

Foresight integrates NVIDIA Jetson Orin into its perception technologies (1 minute read)

Foresight Autonomous Holdings has integrated NVIDIA Jetson Orin platforms into its 3D perception systems, focusing on uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs). The technology enhances AI performance, providing robust environmental perception through visible light and thermal infrared cameras. The Jetson Orin Nano offers efficiency for lightweight drones, while the AGX Orin handles complex processing needs. Foresight's advanced perception systems support applications from search-and-rescue to agricultural monitoring, demonstrating how NVIDIA's AI computing power can boost precision and adaptability in dynamic environments.