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The takeaway: For all the progress humanoid robots have made, most are still stuck performing isolated tasks in controlled environments. The problem is getting them to handle messy, multi-step work – moving through an office, making decisions, and adjusting as conditions change.
Flexion Robotics, a Swiss startup founded by former Nvidia researchers, is approaching the problem from a different angle. It teaches robots basic physical skills and uses a higher-level AI system to decide which skill to call up and when. The goal is not just to complete tasks but to adapt them to changing conditions.
That contrasts with how many humanoid robots are currently trained. In most demos, robots appear to carry out useful work – folding laundry or stocking shelves – but those actions are often guided behind the scenes through teleoperation. The robot is effectively being steered step by step. Take away that control, and performance tends to break down, especially in unfamiliar settings.
