7 humanoid robots that wowed the world in 2024

The world is evolving, with the number of humanoid robots growing every year. 2024 also seen a couple of new ones: from a a torso with head to a full body with surprisingly human expression.

Of course, the time when they will be able to fully replace people is still far away. However, according to Live Science, it is likely that in five years we will see humanoid robots on sale that combine the dexterity of Atlas, the emotional understanding of Ameca, the manual skills of Phoenix, the brain of Figure 02, and the style of Optimus. Today, we're going to tell you about the seven robots that impressed the world in 2024.

General-Purpose Apollo

Apptronik's co-founders have been working on the NASA Valkyrie robot project from 2012 to 2013. Apollo, a 1.73-meter tall humanoid general-purpose robot, is the product of this stellar legacy.

Apollo is currently a prototype, although Apptronik is collaborating with Mercedes-Benz to test scenarios in their factories.

Digit, The Worker

Agility Robotics' Digit is designed to perform repetitive tasks in industrial facilities such as warehouses. However, unlike its competitors, this robot is already in operation. Its workplace is in the warehouse of GXO Logistics in Flowery Branch, Georgia. There, it moves boxes weighing up to 16 kg from autonomous mobile delivery devices to a conveyor belt.

Digit is not the most elegant of robots. Most of its 1.75-meter height is taken up by its backward-facing legs, which allow it to stand close to shelves, and the only part of a friendly look is a pair of rectangular LED "eyes" (which are actually Lidar and Intel RealSense depth cameras). You can buy this robot for $36,000.

Phoenix, A Bot With Nimble Fingers

While other manufacturers focus on speed and strength, Sanctuary AI's Phoenix is all about fingers. In December 2024, the company introduced a robot with fingers that are so skillful that they can maneuver a 12-sided cube as needed, boasting tactile pads for each one.

Sanctuary AI's main goal is to create a modular robot that can add new skills through hardware and on-the-job training. However, Phoenix remains a prototype. The only official presentation so far has been a week-long pilot project in its native Canada, where it packed goods in a retail store.

Figure 02, The Talking Friend

Figure 02 is the only robot on the list that can speak using OpenAI's Large Language Models (LLM). That is, it can follow your commands and support a dialog just like ChatGPT.

Thanks to its sneaky fingers and ability to learn from its mistakes, it is one of the most advanced humanoid robots. Still, it is a prototype too, and there's no information on when that will change.

Ameca, The Friendly Soul

This robot was created by Engineered Arts, and the main thing that sets it apart from the others on this list is its realistic arms and face, which can express emotions. The flexible skin and realistic eyes, as well as the choice of built-in or cloud-based artificial intelligence, mean that it can even greet you with an enthusiastic smile and respond to questions almost instantly. Another key difference is that Ameca can't walk yet. Instead, it's designed to be modular, so you can attach it to wheels or even buy (or rent) just the torso and the head.

Atlas, The Scary Face

This humanoid robot is 1.5 meters tall and has amazing balancing skills - it can (relatively) gracefully move from lying down to standing. It also has a slightly intimidating appearance - the cyclops-style eye that almost covers its head does not help its human interaction skills.

In addition, Atlas can run at 9 km/h, jump, and even do backflips. Unlike the other robots on this list, its incredible balance also means it can traverse difficult terrain.

With its AI-enhanced vision for autonomous tasks and a pair of simple but flexible claw-like hands, it's easy to imagine that Boston Dynamics' Atlas can perform a wide range of tasks. But it is also a prototype, so if you want to get one of these "toys," you'll have to wait.

Optimus Gen 2, The Agile Waiter

In October 2024, Tesla unveiled the newest generation of its stylish humanoid robot that served drinks to visitors. However, it later turned out that it were people that were controlling the robot's arms, which were so nimble that they could make a cocktail.

Nevertheless, this may be our future. And it's only a matter of time before these robots will be able to perform such tasks on their own thanks to a combination of artificial intelligence and advanced sensors.

It is safe to call Optimus Gen 2 the most advanced and modern humanoid robot as of today.

Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!