Humanoid Founder Artem Sokolov Discusses His Venture in a Selection of Interviews
Hi there! Let's dive into the world of Artem Sokolov, the founder of Humanoid, a global investor, and entrepreneur with a knack for making sparks fly. Sokolov shook up the family business and brought it to a billion-dollar valuation, then founded Humanoid to create humanoid robots that liberate humans from the chains of physically demanding work. Today, he leads a crew of over 130 professionals from top-tier tech companies, engineered with the vision to pioneer the future of human-machine collaboration.
Established by Sokolov in 2024, Humanoid is a UK-based, pioneering robotics company on a mission to develop advanced humanoid robots that augment human capabilities. With outposts in London, Boston, and Vancouver, Humanoid is all about creating commercially viable, scalable, and safe robotic solutions for real-world applications across industries.
Slurping down a coffee, Sokolov shares his inspiration behind launching Humanoid and the choice of a humanoid form factor. His personal history played a significant role, as he witnessed his grandparents - engrossed in jewelry manufacturing for endless hours, from dawn till dusk - hardly ever getting a chance to see the world outside their workplace. As Sokolov expanded his jewelry empire, he realized the toll repetitive work had on people, and that birthed the idea for Humanoid - to construct reliable, safe, and helpful humanoid robots that set people free from labor-intensive and monotone jobs.
So, why the humanoid shape? This decision sparks a lot of debate, with many arguing industrial robots are the more mature, efficient, and ready-to-deploy technology. However, Sokolov, being a seasoned entrepreneur and investor, had an a-ha moment while studying a warehouse's design and process: every shelf, workstation, and equipment were meticulously fabricated to fit the proportions of a human body and human capabilities. The revelation ignited the vision that humanoid robots, instead of forcing us to alter our industrial infrastructure, should naturally fit into these human-scaled environments. Quite simply, the world is designed for humans, and it makes sense for humanoid robots to be adaptable.
Besides, the humanoid form offers ridiculous versatility. Snap your fingers, and you can walk, run, grab objects, use various tools - you name it. Humanoid robots can be taught a multitude of tasks, making them a lot more flexible and cost-effective than purchasing a new robot for every task.
As companies like Tesla, Agility Robotics, and Figure AI join the humanoid robotics race, Sokolov sheds light on what differentiates Humanoid's approach. He acknowledges the fierce competition but views it as a positive, trendsetting force that shapes expectations, propels the industry, and lowers costs in the long run. He believes it's unlikely there will be one single winner dominating the industry. Instead, multiple companies will share the prize pool, collaborating to cater to the massive demand resulting from labor shortages and an aging population.
Compared to Humanoid, competitors may have impressive breakthroughs under their belt, but Sokolov sees Humanoid as more focused on developing practical, market-ready solutions rather than dazzling the world with captivating videos of robots performing backflips or dancing (which, let's be honest, warehouses and production lines don't need). With a relentless pace, Humanoid aims to bring their robots to the real world as quickly as possible, starting with commercial testing only one year after launch. To achieve this, Humanoid has swiftly amassed a powerhouse of over 130 experts in humanoid robotics during its first year, giving it a speedy advantage.
Sokolov underscores the importance of ethical development in humanoid robotics, with a focus on responsible AI and robotics innovation. The industry grapples with numerous ethical questions, such as the balance between autonomy and control, data privacy, and the implications of robots living in our households. The solutions to these challenges will emerge in the coming years as humanoid robots transition from prototypes to everyday life, potentially adjusting the boundaries of our homes, workplaces, and, ultimately, society.
Humanoid concentrates on industrial use cases first, allowing for extensive safety testing before introducing robots to households. In addition, being based in Europe offers the advantage of a strong robotics tradition, courtesy of renowned technical universities and research institutions. Humanoid rigorously adheres to safety protocols, regular ethical audits, and collaborates with experts and stakeholders to ensure their robots enhance workplace productivity without compromising human well-being or job security.
Powering Humanoid's robots is a mix of existing VLAs and proprietary AI models. The robots can learn from various applications, making them incredibly effective in diverse tasks. Humanoid does not use the traditional robotics stack. Instead, VLA models and a reasoning system form the core, allowing the robots to perceive and understand the world around them.
Sokolov explains Humanoid's strategy for loco-manipulation and environment perception, focusing on advanced computer vision, adaptive locomotion algorithms, and intelligent manipulation systems. Humanoid robots are equipped with cameras and AI to recognize objects, people, and obstacles, while using sensor fusion and machine learning to build a semantic understanding of the environment, enabling safe navigation and interaction in dynamic, complex environments.
Modularity is another key feature of HMND 01, providing flexibility during real-world deployment compared to other humanoid robots. The modular design allows for quick reconfiguration to accommodate various tasks and environments, improving cost-effectiveness through easy upgrades, repairs, and customizations.
When it comes to balancing agility, adaptability, and safety in various environments, Humanoid's robotics architecture combines model-predictive control, whole-body control strategies, and learning-based control strategies, empowering robots to make strategic locomotion decisions.
As humanoid robots become more integrated into our daily lives, Sokolov anticipates several societal challenges, including adjusting to the new face of the workforce, updating legal frameworks and workplace regulations, and grappling with our shifting identities in this brave new world. He is confident that, with time, humanoid robots will create entirely new roles around their use and open up new frontiers of human potential and creativity.
Scaling robotics hardware can be a pricey endeavor. To make humanoid robots more accessible and cost-effective, Humanoid employs a commercialization strategy that focuses on enhancing the capabilities of its robots while keeping hardware costs down, making them more affordable for various industrial applications. The company is also exploring partnerships and collaborations with tech giants and targeting specific sectors like logistics and manufacturing to achieve economies of scale.
Looking ahead, Humanoid's upcoming milestones include the launch of its bipedal and wheeled alpha models later this year, featuring advanced AI capabilities and modular design for adaptability across various industries. The company is working feverishly to make their groundbreaking hardware and software a reality and attract the best industry talent to its ambitious vision.
Stay curious, and to learn more, visit Humanoid - the future of humanoid robotics! 🚀🤖🌍🤓🚀
Sources:* 1. https://www.tesla.com/robotics* 2. https://www.agilityrobotics.com/* 3. https://www.techradar.com/news/agility-robots-digit-takes-on-terrain-with-legs-and-wheels
- Sokolov, with a background in finance and entrepreneurship, utilized his business acumen to transform Humanoid, a UK-based company specializing in artificial-intelligence-driven humanoid robots, into a leading player in the robotics industry.
- Humanoid's approach to humanoid robotics, focused on practical, market-ready solutions and ethical development, leverages technology to create safe, adaptable, and versatile robots that can revolutionize various industries, including logistics and manufacturing, by taking over physically demanding and labor-intensive tasks.
