Flexion Robotics shows software that helps humanoid robots do office chores

In short: Flexion Robotics demonstrated a training method that lets a humanoid robot carry out multi step office tasks with limited human guidance.

What happened

Flexion Robotics is a Swiss startup founded by former Nvidia robotics researchers. The company says it has built software that can teach robots useful workplace skills, like opening doors, climbing stairs, using elevators, and carrying boxes.

In a demo shown by the company, a modified Unitree humanoid robot is given a long instruction in plain language. The instruction includes finding a delivered snack parcel, taking the stairs down, coming back up by elevator, unpacking the box, and putting the items into an empty drawer.

Flexion says its approach differs from many robot demos that rely on teleoperation, meaning a person is secretly driving the robot’s movements like a remote controlled toy. Flexion trains separate skills in a simulation (a realistic computer practice world), then uses a higher level system to decide which skill to use next.

The company also leans heavily on reinforcement learning, which is a trial and error training method (like teaching a dog tricks by rewarding what works). According to Flexion, this is used across multiple layers, from planning the task to controlling the robot’s motors so it can walk and balance.

Why it matters

Humanoid robots look impressive, but the hard part is getting them to handle new places and messy real world situations. If software like Flexion’s works across different robot bodies, it could make robots more practical for routine jobs in offices, warehouses, and other workplaces.

Source: Wired