Security is often overlooked in the rush to bring humanoid robots to the workplace. As high -profile companies ranging from retailers such as Amazon to motorists, such as Mercedes and BMW, have announced humanoid pilots for factories and warehouses, employee safety talks are regularly buried under the advertising campaign.
A Bay Area robotic company hopes to correct this deficit.
Figure AI announced on Tuesday that it is constructing a center for the progress of humanoid safety, a division of a home that focuses entirely on the subject. Rob Grundel, former Amazon Robotics security engineer, who is heading to the project, revealed plans through a LinkedIn post.
Previous factory and warehouses have faced the problem of safety with large, heavy robots. Subsequent solutions have been transformed into technology, including the advanced computer vision, the software developed by VEO Robotics and a security vest designed by Amazon to help keep robots crush on people.
Amazon’s wearable is designed exclusively for interior use and will probably not appear outside its own deduction centers. Even with this technology, the company is still using cages for many of its robots. Robotic Veo, meanwhile, was absorbed in symbotic in 2024. More recently, Symbotic has taken the reins of Walmart’s Robotics Department.
While appreciated for its adaptability, multipurpose functionality and integration capacity to existing Brownfield warehousesThe humanoid factor introduces a new set of security concerns. After all, one of the key points of sale in the category is his ability to work with people. Their large, metal bodies – freely in factories and warehouses – have the potential to cause injuries by colliding with their softest, fleshy colleagues.
Workplace security organizations, such as OSHA Security and Health Service (OSHA), have a lot to cover in order to regulate automation safety. Today there are no “specific Osha standards for the robotics industry”, According to the federal service. This broader concern must be addressed, but the arrangement specifically targeted by humanoids is particularly early.
Figure A is on this gap.
“One of our recent successes was to finalize a formal plan with the Osha Independent Test Lab to certify our robot battery, the security control system and the electrical system for industrial standards,” Grundel said in the announcement.
Fetch’s founder, Melonee Wise, has made the issue of humanoid safety a basic focus since he has joined agility robotics as head of technology in 2023.
“With any humanoid robot that works in this space, security is not clear,” Wise told me During a group of anthropoids at last year’s automated conference. ‘There is no easy attitude [Tesla’s] Optimus. There is no attitude to many [humanoid robots]And this is against the security standard. It is very clear that many of the companies are not interested in it. ”
Creating the center to promote humanoid safety is an important step in this journey for the shape.
“We recognize that the general population is often at the mercy of technology experts to judge whether a robot controlled by AI may be safe,” Grundel writes. “We want to talk directly with our customers. We will try and disclose the stability of the robot, while stabilizing, stability while moving, detecting people, detecting four -foot pets, safe AI behaviors and navigation for prevention Injury.
Draw plans to publish quarterly updates that offer more transparency around the process. Reports will include testing procedures and corrections for potential risks.
“We will summarize our successes and failures,” according to Grundel.
These successes and failures could eventually close the gap for security and prepare the industry for the next big jump: bringing robots to home.
Humanoid safety standards are going to become more and more necessary, as most businesses are pushing to bring these robots home.
