Apptronik Humanoid Robots Self-Assembly - Latest News

Apptronik and Jabil Announce Robotics Partnership

Apptronik, a company specializing in humanoid robot development and based in Austin, Texas, revealed a new pilot program with Jabil, a prominent American supply chain and manufacturing company, on Tuesday.

This collaboration follows Apptronik’s recent announcement of a $350 million Series A funding round, which is intended to facilitate the increased production of its Apollo robot.

Expanding Pilot Programs

The agreement with Jabil represents the second significant pilot program undertaken by Apptronik.

Previously, in March 2024, the company initiated a partnership that deployed the Apollo robot within a Mercedes-Benz manufacturing facility.

While the partnership with the automotive manufacturer remains active, it has not yet progressed beyond the initial pilot phase, according to reports.

Manufacturing Collaboration

Beyond testing the humanoid robot within its production environment, this new arrangement establishes Jabil and Apptronik as manufacturing partners.

Upon confirmation of Apollo’s commercial viability, Jabil will commence the production of the robot in its own facilities.

This potential outcome envisions a scenario where the humanoid robot will ultimately contribute to its own creation.

Future Manufacturing Prospects

Considering the humanoid robotics industry’s emphasis on manufacturing applications, such partnerships are anticipated.

However, the prospect of humanoids constructing humanoids remains a future goal for Apptronik.

The robotics company has indicated a target date of 2026 for initiating the manufacturing of commercial units.

Initial Deployment and Validation

Initially, the Jabil partnership will involve an unspecified number of Apollo systems performing a variety of “simple, repetitive intralogistics and manufacturing tasks.”

These tasks will include activities such as sorting and transporting components.

This real-world validation is a crucial step towards scaling the robot for broader manufacturing applications.

Successful performance on the Jabil factory floor will accelerate the integration of Apollo into production lines, potentially including those dedicated to its own assembly.

Competitive Landscape

Apptronik is among several companies developing humanoid robots for industrial use, including Agility, Boston Dynamics, Figure, and Tesla.

Currently, Agility is the only one of these companies to have announced deployments extending beyond the initial pilot phase.

Apptronik’s Advantages

Despite the competitive environment, Apptronik possesses several advantageous factors.

These include substantial funding, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, and a decade of experience in humanoid robotics development.

The company originated as a spin-off from the University of Texas and has prior experience with NASA’s Valkyrie robot.

Furthermore, in December of the previous year, Apptronik announced a collaboration with Google DeepMind to advance the artificial intelligence capabilities of its humanoid systems.