NASA Humanoid Robot Apollo: When and Where Can You Preorder?

NASA Humanoid Robot Apollo: When and Where Can You Preorder?
Apptronik of Austin, United States, which specializes in the creation of universal mobile robotic systems, unveils videos depicting the prototypes from which the final design of its Apollo humanoid robot was derived. (not the actual photo) Photo by ZAID AL-OBEIDI/AFP via Getty Images

Elon Musk and Tesla unveiled the Optimus robot last year, while Boston Dynamics teaches its Atlas robot new tasks every several months.

A Texas-based startup will present its conception of a multipurpose robot to a select audience at South by Southwest in March. Apptronik's newest robot is named Apollo, partly because the company collaborated with NASA to commercialize the robot.

NASA Humanoid Robot

The space agency intends to stimulate the creation of humanoid robots that may one day lead to a robotic space explorer, even though there are no plans to launch Apollo into orbit. In the previous several weeks, Apptronik published videos showcasing its prototype robots that eventually influenced Apollo's design. CEO Jeff Cardenas told CNET, "Apollo is the robot we've always desired to create."

Later this year, according to Cardenas, Apptronik will introduce Apollo to the public and begin accepting preorders. Apptronik, a Texas-based robotics startup founded in the Human Centered Robotics Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, has spent several years developing a functional, multipurpose humanoid robot.

Apptronik hopes that by creating their robot (Apollo) from the bottom up, including electronics and actuators, it will provide something economical, dependable, and widely useful. Currently, however, the most effective robots are not universal systems; they are uni-taskers or robots that can perform one task exceptionally well but not much else.

The potential of a general-purpose robot, especially one with a human form factor, is considerable. But the difficulty is also considerable. Apptronik expects the alpha version of Apollo to be completed in March, just in time for a small-scale demonstration at SXSW.

From there, the alpha Apollos will be piloted as Apptronik gathers input to produce a beta version for larger-scale deployments. The organization anticipates that these efforts will result in a complete gamma version and total production runs by the end of 2024, as per Spectrum.

Tesla Bot Xoxe

Meanwhile, some of the most disturbing AI robots from the future are finding their way into the present. Tesla Bot desires to be your friend, but Xoxe can detect your fear. Xoxe's presence is chilly, smart, and apprehending: Xoxe wears a stylish wig and provides witty comments. Per The Sun, Xoxe's face uses human skin, yet her arms continue to move due to the necessity for communication.

Dr. Sam Khoze of AI LIFE, a former plastic surgeon with a degree in artificial intelligence, modeled this robot's personality after that of a social media star. The name of the new robot on the block is Optimus. Its name is Tesla Bot, but that is only its government designation. He wants to be your buddy regardless of the rewards.

Elon Musk, the infamous Tesla magnate, has already put hundreds of androids to work in his factories and intends to increase that number to thousands. Idealistically, Musk's teams will also make them available to customers. He even said that a Tesla robot might become cheaper than a car and be used in homes to prepare meals, mow the yard, and care for the elderly.

As if that weren't helpful enough, they also became programmed sexual partners named "buddy" and "catgirl." Reuters said that despite their imaginative potential, Tesla faced criticism over the usage and cost of "general purpose" robots in factories, households, and elsewhere.

In 2023, three robot sisters might give the Kardashians a run for their money as they attempt to persuade you to appreciate AI. Hanson Robotics' creator, David Hanson, created the next humanoid sisters.

Former firm head scientist Ben Goertzel is credited for developing the company's AI brains. Sophia is the oldest of the three robots, initially activated in 2016. She's already being hailed as the face of AI, and her beauty has garnered international notice. Sophia was the first non-human to be named Innovation Champion by the United Nations Development Program.

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