Figure’s Helix Humanoid Robot Learns to Loads Dishes and Dream Big

Figure’s latest video shows their humanoid robot, Helix, doing something we all hate: loading the dishwasher. It’s a glimpse into a future where robots do the mundane so we can focus on what matters.

Helix stands about 5 feet tall with a sleek, human-like figure that was designed for pure function. Its hands, which are supposed to be just like ours, hold plates and cups with precision, while sensors scan the chaotic kitchen counter. In the video, it stacks dishes, puts them in the dishwasher and even corrects itself when a plate slips. This adaptability comes from new training data not hard coded instructions. Figure’s Sunnyvale lab has fed it all sorts of scenarios from messy counters to misplaced utensils to make it a more versatile assistant.

Most robots need every move programmed in advance, but Figure’s approach lets Helix learn from experience. It’s been trained on thousands of kitchen setups so it can navigate unfamiliar environments. If a spoon falls or a glass is out of reach it adjusts on the fly. This is a big deal for a humanoid robot as it gets closer to being a general purpose assistant not a specialized tool.

Figure, founded in 2022, wants Helix to go beyond dishes. Their goal is a robot that can work in homes, factories or even hospitals doing tasks from folding laundry to assembling parts. Their recent $675 million funding round backed by the likes of Jeff Bezos and NVIDIA means others have a similar vision. They’re not alone – competitors like Tesla’s Optimus and Boston Dynamics’ Atlas are also going after the humanoid dream.