Open Sourcing Robotics: A Path to Democratizing Humanoid Robots
Lapeyre says that selling humanoid robots remains challenging because the use cases are unclear and the systems are still unreliable—though some companies are starting to find success. Today, the technology is mostly developed by a few well-financed companies, including Tesla, Figure, and Agility Robotics. “With Hugging Face, we hope to democratize that,” he says.
A New Approach to Robotics
Many AI models, software frameworks, and tools that researchers and engineers rely on to build AI models and applications are already open-source. This means the models are shared free of charge, with licenses that allow the code to be modified and reused. Making hardware open-source typically means releasing designs, component details, and 3D models that allow pieces to be manufactured more easily.
The Benefits of Open Sourcing
The availability of powerful open-weight AI models has made it easier for researchers and startups to experiment with cutting-edge AI, as they can see how models work and modify the code. Delangue says that Hugging Face believes something similar is needed in robotics. “Hopefully, open-source can unleash a wide and diverse range of [new robot] capabilities,” he says.
Hardware Open Sourcing
Lapeyre adds that open-sourcing hardware has a similar effect. Robot developers “can [3D] print a part if something is broken,” he says, adding, “if something is not perfect, they can make it a bit better by adding a new part.”
The Current State of Humanoid Robots
The current AI boom has coincided with renewed interest in robotics, as the latest models help enable new advances in the capabilities of hardware systems. Some prominent researchers argue that AI will need a physical presence in order to match or surpass human intelligence, because that advancement may require a direct understanding of the physical world.
Challenges and Misleading Claims
The hype surrounding humanoid robots has led to some dubious claims. Some of the companies racing to build humanoid robots have posted demo videos on social media that seem to promise incredible abilities. But experts warn that such videos could be misleading. A system that seems extraordinary online could in fact be teleoperated by a person off camera; it could also fail if conditions change even slightly; or be unable to complete a task reliably.
Transparency and Accountability
Delangue says the open-source approach should make progress more transparent. “You can’t cheat, you can’t hide with open-source,” he explains.
Examples of Open Sourcing in Robotics
Hugging Face already hosts some open-source robotics code. Delangue says that use of this code has spiked over the past year, reflecting growing interest in robotics generally.
Industry Reaction
Some robotics researchers, especially those in academia, favor the open approach. “Making robotics more accessible increases the velocity with which technology advances,” says Sergey Levine, an assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and cofounder of Physical Intelligence, a startup working to develop vastly more capable and general-purpose robotic models.
Physical Intelligence
Physical Intelligence made the first of its robot foundation models, Pi0, available on Hugging Face in February. The model allows a range of different robots to learn to do a variety of physical tasks.
Conclusion
The open-source approach to robotics has the potential to democratize the technology, making it more accessible and transparent. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how this approach shapes the development of humanoid robots.
FAQs
Q: What is the current state of humanoid robots?
A: The technology is mostly developed by a few well-financed companies, including Tesla, Figure, and Agility Robotics.
Q: Why is open-sourcing robotics important?
A: Open-sourcing robotics can make progress more transparent and accessible, allowing researchers and developers to build on each other’s work and create new innovations.
Q: What are the benefits of open-sourcing hardware?
A: Open-sourcing hardware allows developers to modify and improve existing designs, making it easier to create new and innovative robots.
Q: Will open-sourcing robotics lead to more accurate and reliable robots?
A: Yes, open-sourcing robotics can lead to more accurate and reliable robots, as developers can work together to improve and refine existing designs.
