Meta builds humanoid robot prototype with China's Fourier, report says

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) has developed a humanoid robot prototype with Chinese robotics startup Fourier and is already working on a second version, The Information reported on Saturday. The project is part of the Facebook parent's push to bring artificial intelligence into everyday household tasks, according to the report.

Max prototype details

The prototype, internally named Max, weighs about 106 pounds and was built by the two companies in roughly three months, according to people familiar with the project cited by The Information. Standing around 1.5 metres tall, Max uses Nvidia's Jetson Thor chip and features a display capable of mimicking facial expressions, built-in speakers and five-fingered hands designed to handle small objects.

Collaboration in China

Meta's robotics team travelled to China to work with Fourier. The company's vice president of product for robotics, Li-Chen Miller, spent almost two months at the startup's Shanghai factory, the report said. Max was demonstrated to some Meta employees at an internal robotics summit in late August.

Max 2 and Meta's robotics plans

The companies began developing a second prototype, Max 2, in September. The updated version is expected to feature a redesigned torso, improved hands for handling objects, a projector and additional sensors to help it navigate stairs. Meta sees humanoid robots as a potential physical extension of its Muse AI agent, with a long-term ambition of developing machines capable of assisting with household tasks. The company also strengthened its robotics capabilities through its May acquisition of Assured Robot Intelligence, a startup developing AI models that help robots understand and adapt to human behaviour. Meta told The Information that its work with Fourier was focused on internal research and experimentation and that it had no plans to sell the units.

Sources: Yahoo Finance · Techmeme