Sanctuary - A completely new take on humanoids making

Sanctuary.ai is a company that is developing humanoid robots. Their goal is to create robots that can think like people and work alongside humans in a variety of settings. They have developed two main products:

• Carbon™, a pioneering AI control system that allows robots to learn and adapt to their environment.
• Phoenix™, a 6th generation robot that is the world's first general-purpose humanoid robot.

Sanctuary's robots are designed to be safe and collaborative. They can be operated by people directly, or they can use their built-in AI to observe, assess, and act on tasks autonomously.

The company believes that its robots have the potential to revolutionize many industries, but unlike the other two top contenders, Tesla and Figure, they do not take too much into account the mechanics of the robot itself but rather the human emulation the robot uses to function.

Simply put, if the bot can understand the principles of how "we humans" act and learn, in principle, anything else will be just a matter of putting a cart in front of the bot. The rest will be strolling between the aisles.

If a two years old crawls the floor and touches the glass of the oven where mommy is baking a delicious apple pie and then screams irrationally until mommy kisses the boo-boo, that HYPOTHETICAL two years old will remember for the rest of his life that touching hot surfaces produces pain. He doesn't have to touch another over or something resembling or emitting heat to test that principle. #truestory

They are also committed to developing their robots in a responsible way, and they have a number of ethical guidelines in place to ensure that their robots are used for good. In essence, Skynet is fine but not terminator, please.

Sanctuary.ai

• Founded in 2018
• Headquarters in Mountain View, California
• Funding: $100 million
• CEO: Geordie Rose
• CTO: Suzanne Gildert

Sanctuary's humanoid robots represent a groundbreaking step in the field of robotics, merging advanced AI with physical dexterity to accomplish a broad spectrum of tasks.

They are focusing on developing the FSD (in Tesla speak) of humanoids. Six years ago, when they started, they had to create everything in-house (Phoenix robot) because the world wasn't obsessing with humanoids as much as in 2024. However, things have changed (noticed?), and they are now using for many parts of their latest generation, off-the-shelf parts.

To put in the words of my mom when she explains back to me what I think I just translated down for her about tech: Tesla & Figure are Apple-based. Sanctuary is going to be Windows.

The development of humanoid robots has steadily advanced over the years, leading to significant milestones such as Sanctuary's Phoenix™. This sixth-generation general-purpose robot is the culmination of progressive enhancements in both hardware agility and AI sophistication.

Physical Attributes

Phoenix™ is designed with both aesthetic and functional qualities that mimic human morphology, aiming to perform tasks across various industries. The robot's exterior incorporates a blend of robust materials suitable for diverse job environments. The focus on dexterous manipulation and mobility is evident through multi-articulated fingers and bi-pedal locomotion systems, which enable the handling of delicate objects and navigation of human spaces with ease.

It might be my Italian DNA or just personal taste but when it comes to aesthetics Sanctuary isn't even trying to make the robot as sexy as Figure 01 or Tesla, however, Phoenix does display more sense of humanity in its motion that the other two contenders. And to be fair, they are not even trying, intentionally. Their approach is radically different from all other companies. However, the movements shown by the robot feel so natural that there's a level of natural empathy that transpare into the motion. Judge by yourself from this demo.

Artificial Intelligence Integration

At the core of Phoenix™ is Carbon™, a proprietary AI control system, that seeks to establish a new standard in robot autonomy. The integration of AI extends beyond basic programmable functions; this system can process complex tasks through a combination of supervised autonomy and remote piloting capabilities. Cognitive architecture enables the robot to learn from human interactions, thereby enhancing its ability to work in synergy with human counterparts.

Security and Privacy Protocols

In developing Phoenix™, attention to security and privacy is paramount. Sanctuary AI has instituted rigorous protocols to safeguard both operational integrity and data privacy. Encrypted communications, secure access points, and regular security updates form part of a comprehensive strategy to protect against unauthorized access and potential cyber threats. Moreover, adherence to regulatory compliance ensures responsible deployment in workplaces.