{"id":578172,"date":"2024-03-15T05:29:14","date_gmt":"2024-03-15T09:29:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.therobotreport.com\/?p=578172"},"modified":"2024-03-15T08:07:44","modified_gmt":"2024-03-15T12:07:44","slug":"mercedes-benz-testing-apollo-humanoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.therobotreport.com\/mercedes-benz-testing-apollo-humanoid\/","title":{"rendered":"Mercedes-Benz testing Apollo humanoid"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Apptronik

Apollo moving a tote at the Mercedes factory. | Credit: Apptronik<\/p><\/div>\n

Apptronik<\/a> today announced that leading automotive brand Mercedes-Benz is testing its Apollo humanoid robot. As part of the agreement, Apptronik and Mercedes-Benz will collaborate on identifying applications for Apollo in automotive settings.<\/p>\n

Mercedes-Benz is exploring how well Apollo can bring parts to the production line for workers to assemble, while simultaneously inspecting the components. Apollo will also be tested at delivering totes of kitted parts later in the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we set out to build Apollo, an agreement like the one we\u2019re announcing today with Mercedes-Benz was a dream scenario,\u201d Jeff Cardenas, co-founder & CEO of Apptronik, said in a press statement. \u201cMercedes plans to use robotics and Apollo for automating some low-skill, physically challenging, manual labor \u2013 a model use case which we\u2019ll see other organizations replicate in the months and years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Robot Report<\/em> reached out to both Apptronik and Mercedes to learn more, but hadn’t heard back at press time. At the moment, it is unclear how many Apollos are being tested, if multiple automotive plants are involved, and what the extent of this partnership is. The photos Apptronik shared show Apollo in a plant in Hungary.<\/p>\n

Humanoid race heats up<\/h2>\n

Apptronik unveiled Apollo<\/a> in August 2023 and is one of the early innovators in the humanoid race<\/a>, joining the likes of Agility Robotics’ Digit and Tesla Optimus. Since August, additional manufacturers have thrown their collective hats in the humanoid ring, including 1X<\/a>, Figure AI<\/a>, Sanctuary AI<\/a>, Unitree<\/a>, LimX<\/a> and Fourier Intelligence<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The robotics market is at a unique point in time where all of the enabling technologies that make a humanoid viable are coming together. This includes the huge leaps in AI maturity and model training over the last two years, the power of edge compute, battery capacity, and the maturation of legged motion algorithms<\/a>.<\/p>\n