Meet Apollo, Apptronik’s Latest Humanoid Robot

Aiming for a future where robots take on “dull, dirty, and dangerous” work, Apptronik unveils Apollo, a general-use humanoid robot.

Standing at 5 feet, 8 inches, and weighing 160 pounds, Apollo is built to be mass-produced and to safely integrate into the human workforce. It uses electricity over hydraulics that aren’t considered to be as safe and sports a four-hour battery that can be changed out, allowing for a 22-hour workday.

Apptronik partnered with another Austin-based firm Argodesign, to outfit Apollo with a very friendly and approachable design. They gave Apollo a face that avoids the “uncanny valley” phenomena that happens with humanoid robots, as well as intentional movement to make it more human-like, such as turning its head to indicate where it’s going. The team also added digital panels, which provide easy communication about Apollo’s battery life, the current tasks it’s assigned to, when it’ll finish, and what it will do next.

Apollo was initially built to work in logistics, taking on physically demanding roles inside warehouses addressing labor shortages, and improving the supply chain. But Apptronik has a long-term vision for Apollo that extends the next decade.

Jeff Cardenas, cofounder and CEO of Apptronik says, “Our goal is to build versatile robots to do all the things that we don’t want to do to help us here on Earth, and eventually one day explore the moon, Mars and beyond,”

“Eventually, Apollo will be less than the price of the average car. Traditional robots rely on high-precision parts. But the introduction of cameras and artificial intelligence systems have enabled the development of robots that rely less on preprogramming and instead are more responsive to their environments, which means that the parts used in production are more affordable”, Cardenas said. “Rather than highly specialized robots that can only serve one purpose, Apptronik wanted Apollo to be the “iPhone of robots,”.

Apollo’s design is based on years of development, with a focus on simplifying complexity in its actuators, sensors, and perception capabilities. It is intended to operate autonomously in uncertain environments, including potential use in space exploration. NASA is a partner in Apptronik’s work, and Apollo could play a role in building and testing environments for human exploration on the moon and Mars before astronauts arrive.

Apollo will start out in factory and warehouse work doing simple tasks, such as moving boxes and pushing carts around. Apollo’s functionality will increase over time through new models and updates. Right now, Apptronik is focused on securing commercial clients and manufacturers that have an interest in how Apollo could improve their logistics. The company plans to be in full commercial production by the end of 2024, with applications ranging from construction, electronics production, retail, home delivery, and elder care.