Ready For Tomorrow #64

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Hello there in this beautiful week!

Summer is just around the corner, and our minds are probably already drifting toward dreams of Turkish resorts, warm sand, and a cold beer in hand.

But while we may be planning our holidays, the world of robotics isn’t slowing down.

Last week brought quite a stir in the humanoid robot market.

And that’s exactly where we’ll begin!

Figure shares 60-minute video of their robot in action

The American company Figure has released a full 60-minute video showing their humanoid robot at work, flattening packages and turning them so the barcodes face the scanner.

What’s impressive is that every move is completely autonomous, powered by their AI system called Helix.

The robot’s motion is surprisingly fluid — much smoother than the stiff movements we often see from competitors. Figure handled the task well, though a few hiccups did appear. Want to know what went wrong? One YouTube user actually spent the whole hour spotting the mistakes. Now that’s dedication. 😉

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Digit goes shopping

Another breakthrough worth talking about. Digit, the humanoid robot from Agility Robotics, just went grocery shopping. Yes, really.

The setup was experimental and the store was clearly staged, with only a single aisle, but for Digit it was a completely new environment.

Still, the robot handled the task with surprising ease, carrying a shopping basket in hand and navigating the aisle like a seasoned weekend shopper.

Are we witnessing the beginning of real-world applications that could become true milestones in humanoid robotics and find their place in future textbooks?

Calvin enters the factory

Wandercraft just introduced its first industrial humanoid robot named Calvin-40. Built in only 40 days and tested with Renault, Calvin is designed to handle repetitive and physically demanding tasks on the factory floor.

It doesn’t try to look human. No head. No hands. Just solid gripper arms and strong legs. The focus is on power and stability, not finesse.

Calvin can carry up to 40 kilograms and is already being tested in real industrial conditions. It’s a big step forward that shows humanoid robots don’t need to mimic us to be useful.

Are we seeing the start of a new generation of robots built for work first and looks second?

Kepler’s Bumblebee is built to work

At ICRA 2025, Kepler Robotics introduced its industrial humanoid robot, the K2 Bumblebee. The robot greeted visitors, moved autonomously, and interacted smoothly with other systems, attracting attention from researchers and executives alike.

Bumblebee is 175 centimeters tall, weighs 75 kilograms, and features 52 degrees of freedom with over 80 sensors. It runs for up to eight hours on a single one-hour charge. Each arm can lift 15 kilograms, and the hands are built for fine tasks, with 11 joints and detailed force sensing.

Kepler developed most of the hardware in-house, allowing for lower costs and better control. The robot is priced around 30,000 dollars and is already being tested in manufacturing, logistics, and research.

According to Kepler, Bumblebee can perform repetitive tasks up to 1.5 times faster than a human. It is designed not to impress on stage but to deliver real value on the factory floor.

End of the line for Pepper and NAO?

Aldebaran, the company behind the iconic Pepper and NAO robots, has entered receivership. Despite selling tens of thousands of units and becoming a familiar name in education and service robotics, the business never became profitable.

Pepper was discontinued in 2024, and while NAO is still in production, its future is uncertain. Many institutions now worry about losing access to cloud services and support, which could shut the robots down entirely.

Aldebaran once led the way in making humanoid robots feel approachable. But charm alone couldn’t keep the company afloat.

This marks a shift in robotics from friendly faces to robots with real business value. The question now is whether anyone will pick up where Aldebaran left off or let the legacy fade.

And that’s all for today guys!

WIsh you all the best weekend!

Cheers, Jacek