Dobot, a Chinese developer of collaborative robot arms, recently announced it developed a humanoid robot called Atom. The company is entering an increasingly crowded and still young market.
Dobot hasn’t shared much about Atom yet, but it has shared a few videos of the robot operating autonomously. Atom has 28 degrees of freedom and ±0.05mm precision, giving it the ability to handle delicate tasks. It also works with straight knees, reducing energy consumption by 42% while still being able to move across difficult terrains, Dobot said.
Additionally, with 7.7 times the industry-standard computing power and the Robot Operator Model – 1 (ROM-1), the Dobot Atom can autonomously adapt to unstructured environments.
Founded in 2015, Dobot offers collaborative robot (cobot) arms, SCARA arms, desktop robot arms, and educational robot arms. The company developed its core technologies, including integrated drive and control, smart interaction, high-performance motion control, safety, and intelligent sensing systems, in-house. Dobot said it has deployed over 72,000 robots in more than 80 countries. This is the company’s first step in the humanoid robot market.
The Robot Report reached out to Dobot for additional details but didn’t hear back as of press time.
What work will Atom do?
Dobot hasn’t specified which markets it is targeting with its Atom humanoid. However, the videos it has released so far show it working in kitchens and home environments. These videos could just be a relatable way to show off the robot’s manipulation skills. However, if they’re an indication of the robot’s intended market, Dobot wouldn’t be the first humanoid developer to target household chores.
1X Technologies AS, another humanoid developer, recently released its NEO Gamma humanoid. 1X designed NEO Gamma specifically to fit into people’s homes, with more natural movements and communication skills than its previous models. The company said NEO‘s latest improvements open the door to starting internal home testing.
In contrast to 1X, many of the other companies developing humanoids are focusing on commercial applications, starting with simple materials handling tasks in logistics and manufacturing. Examples include Agility Robotics, which is working with GXO, Schaeffler, Ricoh, and Manhattan Associates, and Apptronick, which recently raised $350 million.
Figure AI, another large player in the space, shipped its Figure 02 humanoid to its first customer in December. In addition, Figure AI has partnered with OpenAI, which recently restarted its own robotics research group, on speech-to-speech communications with humans.
Learn about humanoids at the Robotics Summit
Humanoids will be front and center at the Robotics Summit & Expo, which runs April 30-May 1 in Boston and is produced by WTWH Media, parent of The Robot Report.
Aaron Saunders, chief technology officer (CTO) of Boston Dynamics, is giving the opening keynote on Day 2 of the event. He will discuss the recently redesigned Atlas robot and share his thoughts about the future humanoids.
The first day of the show will feature a panel about the state of humanoids with Pras Velagapudi, CTO at Agility Robotics; Aaron Prather, director of robotics and autonomous systems at ASTM International; and Al Makke, director of engineering at Schaeffler. The panel will explore the technical and business challenges shaping the development of humanoids. It will also share insights from early deployments, what’s on the horizon, and the ongoing efforts to establish safety standards.
The Robotics Summit & Expo will bring together more than 5,000 developers focused on building robots for a variety of commercial industries. Attendees will gain insights into the latest enabling technologies, engineering best practices, and emerging trends.
The event will feature over 200 exhibitors, 70-plus speakers on stage, 10+ hours of dedicated networking time, a Women in Robotics Breakfast, a career fair, startup showcase, and more. Returning to the show are the RBR50 Pavilion and RBR50 Awards Dinner, which will honor the winners of the annual RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards.
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