Figure's humanoid robots allow complex, unsafe or tedious tasks to be automated throughout the production process. This allows employees to focus on processes that cannot be automated, as well as continuously improving production efficiency and safety.
"Single-purpose robotics have saturated the commercial market for decades, but the potential of general purpose robotics is completely untapped. Figure's robots will enable companies to increase productivity, reduce costs, and create a safer and more consistent environment," said Brett Adcock, Founder and CEO of Figure.
Under the agreement, BMW Manufacturing and Figure will take a phased approach. In the first phase, Figure will determine the initial ways in which robots will be used in automotive manufacturing. Once the first phase is complete, Figure's robots will begin to be phased into the manufacturing process at BMW's plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Figure and BMW have not specified the characteristics of the robots that will appear at the car plant. At the moment, the characteristics of the Figure 01 prototype robot are known. Its height is 167 cm, mass is 60 kg, payload is 20 kg, autonomous operation time is 5 hours, and its movement speed is 1.2 m/s.
In addition to the deployment of humanoid robots in the automotive industry, BMW Manufacturing and Figure will share opportunities in the use of artificial intelligence, robot control and integration, and virtualisation of manufacturing.
Source: Figure AI