Organization: Apptronik
Country: U.S.
Website: https://apptronik.com/
Year Founded: 2016
Number of Employees: 101-500
Innovation Class: Technology
In August 2023, Apptronik released Apollo, its first commercial version of a bipedal humanoid robot. The company is no stranger to the development of legged robotics, having built multiple generations of exoskeletons for the U.S. Department of Defense.
These projects helped Apptronik develop the kinematic, mechanical, and electrical expertise to support the venture into bipedal robotics.
The company’s primary intellectual property is linear actuation. Apollo includes several linear actuators for its leg and arm joints. Apollo uses linear actuators for joints such as the elbow and knee, in contrast to competitors who have opted for rotary motors and gear trains.
By offering a sixth generation of motors, Apptronik has surpassed rivals such as Tesla in this area. Not only does this improvement make things cheaper, but it also makes the supply chain more reliable and the manufacturing process more scalable, which is important for expanding Apollo’s uses beyond factories. Building a low-cost linear actuator is a big step forward for the company to make this growth possible.
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Explore the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2024.
RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2024
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|---|---|
| ABB Robotics | Modular industrial robot arms offer flexibility |
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| Agility Robotics | Digit humanoid gets feet wet with logistics work |
| Amazon Robotics | Amazon strengthens portfolio with heavy-duty AGV |
| Ambi Robotics | AmbiSort uses real-world data to improve picking |
| Apptronik | Apollo humanoid features bespoke linear actuators |
| Boston Dynamics | Atlas shows off unique skills for humanoid |
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| Kodama Systems | Startup uses robotics to prevent wildfires |
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| MassRobotics Accelerator | Equity-free accelerator positions startups for success |
| Mecademic | MCS500 SCARA robot accelerates micro-automation |
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