Google DeepMind announced Gemini Robotics 2, an updated AI model that it says can control an entire humanoid robot’s body. According to the announcement, the previous version focused on a robot’s upper body, while the new model adds whole-body motions spanning from the feet to the fingertips. This expands the range of actions available to humanoid robots, including walking, crouching, stretching, and manipulating objects. Google shared videos showing Apptronik’s Apollo 2 robot bending to pick up a watering can and locating and removing specific items from a shelf.
Why it matters
Extending AI control from a robot’s upper body to full-body movement broadens the tasks a humanoid robot could carry out, since actions such as walking and crouching require coordinated whole-body motion.
Who should care
Developers and companies working on humanoid robotics, as well as those tracking Google DeepMind’s robotics efforts and Apptronik’s Apollo 2 platform.