Google DeepMind’s new AI model can control a robot’s entire body
Google DeepMind has updated its Gemini Robotics model to enable whole-body control for humanoid robots, allowing for more complex physical tasks. The update also improves the vision-language model, enabling better coordination and safety when working alongside humans.
Why it matters
Advancements in whole-body robotics are critical for the development of autonomous machines capable of performing real-world labor in human environments.
Google DeepMind says the latest version of its Gemini Robotics AI model can “control entire humanoid robots.” While the previous model focused on controlling a humanoid robot’s upper body, Gemini Robotics 2 now supports “whole-body motions” ranging from its feet to fingertips, according to an announcement on Thursday.
The new model will allow humanoid robots to perform a wider range of actions, as it allows them to walk, crouch, stretch, and manipulate objects. Videos shared by Google show how Apptronik’s Apollo 2 robot can bend over to pick up a watering can, as well as find and take specific items off a shelf.
[Media: https://youtu.be/9MNLEAzA59o?si=02zFLpyUWiebY9dL]
Though Google DeepMind notes that its robots “have more to advance in movement speed,” it adds that this update “is an important step towards the skills needed to complete more complex, real-world tasks that require whole-body coordination.”
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