Dismantling humanoid robots that are packed with proprietary technology is a tricky thing: you have to make sure no expensive raw materials go to waste, but you also have to make sure no one else gets ahold of your technology. The solution? Have your robots thrown into a vat of molten steel, Terminator 2 style.
Let’s start with the obvious question: yes, they really did. Figure had his second-generation F.02 robots enter a vat of molten steel, and the idea came from Mr. T-800 himself.
Finish them
“None of the metal foundries we contacted in the US and Mexico would allow us to introduce a robot with lithium-ion batteries into their expensive facilities. [foundry] team,” the official copy of the figure reads. “We even reached out to former MythBusters to help with the search. In the end, the only place in the world we could find willing to take this on was a foundry in Imatra, Finland.”
Once they found a foundry (sorry), the next step was programming the robots to make the jump. To that end, Figure got to work, installing large airbags and beginning to teach his robots to jump from the second floor of one of the buildings on the company’s corporate campus in San Jose, California. The team used the specialists’ motion capture as a reference to train a new AI model in simulation that would help the robots accurately jump into a bucket of molten steel, in a foundry they had never visited.
The result looks absolutely ridiculous and I’m here for it.
Take a spin!
Once at the foundry, three huge graphite electrodes were put to work, feeding a 75-ton electric arc furnace designed to melt solid scrap steel. Despite the extreme heat and intense electromagnetic fields, the robots in Figure F.02 ran their AI programs without problems, even when camera equipment and other electronic devices failed in this environment.
“After melting down the F.02 in Finland, we shipped the resulting metal bars to the US for a new purpose,” the copy reads. “That metal is now being machined into a limited series of artifacts commemorating the F.02. Only a small quantity will be made, preserving a part of the Figure’s history in a compact package that you can own.”
Which all makes sense because: capitalism, but I desperately hope they melt them down into little Terminator skulls. You can let us know what you think they should build with the leftovers in the comments.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Figure, via Interesting Engineering, Think Foundry.
If you’re thinking about going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from some installers. To ensure you find a trustworthy and reliable solar installer near you offering competitive prices, check out energywisea free service that makes it easy for you to use solar energy. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t receive sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll have access to unbiased energy advisors to help you every step of the way. Start here.
FTC: We use automatic affiliate links that generate income. Further.
