Sanctuary AI isn’t often mentioned in the same breath as humanoid robotics companies like Boston Dynamics, Agility, Figure and 1X, but the Canadian company has been working in this space for some time. In fact, the new robot presented on Thursday is the seventh generation of the Phoenix series.
While a more recent version introduced legs to the line, Sanctuary is all about what happens from the waist up. Tellingly, new videos of the latest robot focus on the system’s hull. The Canadian company highlights the system’s human-like movements when sorting products, as well as the speed at which it can learn such tasks.
Much of the coverage of humanoids to date has (understandably) revolved around mechatronics – specifically, what these robots look like as they make their way through the world. Boston Dynamics’ recent video is a perfect example of how much can be communicated in just a few seconds.
Ultimately, however, robotic intelligence will be just as important to these systems in the future – or perhaps even more important. While “general intelligence” is one of those big, abstract terms, many roboticists agree that we are still five to 10 years away from robots capable of learning new tasks in a similar way to their human counterparts.
However, this does not mean that today’s systems cannot learn tasks quickly. For example, Sanctuary points out that the new Phoenix is capable of automating new tasks in less than 24 hours.
“With seventh generation, we have a system that we believe is the most human-like of any system available,” says co-founder and CEO Geordie Rose. “We see this not only as the cornerstone of general-purpose AI robotics, but also as a critical step towards artificial general intelligence, and we are excited to be leading the way.”
Photo credit: Sanctuary AI
Now the time required and consistency will almost certainly vary from task to task. The objects presented in the demo are relatively simple – separate objects of different colors – in a seemingly structured and controlled environment. But Sanctuary definitely deserves credit for having implemented previous systems. The company also recently announced a deal to supply its systems to Magna’s automotive factories.
The seventh-generation robot, introduced twelve months after its predecessor, largely brings further improvements to the line, including longer operating times, improved range of motion, lower weight and a more cost-effective bill of materials.