智东西（公众号：zhidxcom）
编译 | 杨京丽
编辑 | 李水青
智东西11月1日消息，今日，据外媒The Information援引知情人士消息报道，Meta已与中国机器人公司傅利叶合作，打造出一款名为“Max”的人形机器人原型，目前已开始开发第二代产品。
其中一位知情人士称，Meta与傅利叶仅用3个月就造出了这款重约106磅（约48千克）的人形机器人。这项工作的目标，是帮助Meta机器人部门进一步打磨未来产品，该产品后续有可能正式推出，目前尚未确定上市时间。
两名知情人士称，Meta机器人业务产品副总裁Li-Chen Miller曾在傅利叶位于上海的工厂工作近两个月，共同推进这款原型机的开发。
Meta面向消费者推出现象级个人Agent助理产品“Muse”后，开发能够协助用户处理家务和日常事务的消费级机器人，已成为公司更加迫切的目标。知情人士称，Meta首席技术官Andrew Bosworth曾在Meta内部将人形机器人描述为Muse的实体化形态。
尽管项目仍处于早期阶段，这款原型机代表了Meta自去年初成立Meta Robotics Studio以来，在机器人领域取得的最具体进展。
与Meta合作的中国机器人企业傅利叶成立于2015年，总部位于上海张江，是一家聚焦通用机器人与智能康复的科技企业。近年来，傅利叶在人形机器人领域，推出了GR-1、GR-2、GR-3等产品，并布局灵巧手等核心部件。
▲傅利叶轮式双臂机器人GRW
一、曝Meta与傅利叶3个月造出Max，满足家庭交互需求
据The Information报道，Max身高约1.5米，目前搭载英伟达Jetson Thor芯片，以及一套帮助机器人移动的软件平台。它的胸部装有两个扬声器，面部的眼睛和嘴巴可以模拟人类表情，五指机械手能够拿起小瓶子和玩具。
Meta基于傅利叶第一代、第二代和第三代机器人产品的硬件与经验，打造了这款定制机器人。双方重新调整了原型机的身高、身体比例、头部设计、显示屏和摄像头，并增加了机械手和鞋部结构。
Meta还提出了机器人在家庭环境中感知和回应人类的具体要求。双方根据Meta提出的多项要求设计Max，包括在5米外识别声音，在3米外理解手势或挥手动作，保持眼神交流，并通过不同信号传达正在倾听、思考、说话和不确定等状态。
Max的开发需要Meta团队前往中国，与傅利叶密切合作。两名知情人士称，Meta机器人业务产品副总裁Li-Chen Miller曾在傅利叶位于上海的工厂工作近两个月，共同推进这款原型机的开发。
8月底，Meta在一次内部机器人峰会上向部分员工展示了这款原型。
二、Max 2或将升级机械手、投影仪和楼梯传感器
知情人士称，Meta与傅利叶已于9月开始开发Max 2。新版本将采用重新设计的躯干，改进机械手，以提升操控能力；同时还将配备投影仪，用于显示视觉内容。Max 2还将增加更多传感器，帮助机器人上下楼梯。
目前，Meta也在组建其内部的机器人制造团队。招聘信息显示，Meta正在上海招聘供应商开发工程师，负责与产品设计和制造团队合作，帮助机器人业务“从原型阶段走向大规模生产”。
Meta还在深圳招聘产品设计工程师和技术项目经理，负责Meta Robotics Studio的原型开发、项目规划和大规模生产。
Meta也在推进机器人软件方面的工作。今年5月，Meta收购了初创公司Assured Robot Intelligence。该公司开发了用于训练机器人的AI模型，帮助机器人理解人类行为，并适应不同环境。
三、人形机器人竞争升温，Meta机器人团队管理层变动
如果Meta未来尝试向消费者销售人形机器人，将面临激烈竞争。中国企业已经在规模化生产人形机器人，埃隆·马斯克也将特斯拉的重要赌注押在人形机器人Optimus上，目前该机器人已迭代至第三代。
此外，Figure和1X Technologies等初创公司也已开发人形机器人多年。Figure已经开始在家庭环境中测试机器人，1X则已开始接受NEO机器人的预订。
Meta机器人部门近期也出现管理层变动。前Cruise首席执行官Marc Whitten已于8月底离开Meta，任职约18个月。Ning Li目前担任Meta Robotics Studio临时负责人，并向Meta首席技术官Andrew Bosworth汇报。
据知情人士称，Bosworth已接手Whitten此前的部分职责，定期与团队开会，并参与处理该部门的技术和运营问题。
结语：Meta或把Agent带入实体机器人
从目前披露的信息来看，Meta似乎正尝试把Muse的能力从软件界面延伸到真实家庭环境。Max原型和Max 2的相关细节，显示出Meta关注机器人在家庭交互等方面的能力。
未来这项业务能否从内部原型走向面向家庭的消费级产品，还要看机器人的操控能力、环境适应能力和量产成本。
来源：The Information
本文由 AI图鉴自动抓取并翻译，版权归原作者所有；如需查看原文请点下方链接。
Intellectual (WeChat Official Account:zhidxcom)
Compiled by Yang Kyung-Li
Editor, Lee Shui-qing
On November 1st, according to the source, Meta has worked with the Chinese robotics company, Fourier, to develop a prototype human-shaped robot called “Max” and is now developing a second-generation product.
One of the sources claimed that Meta and Fourie had built the human robot, weighing about 106 pounds (approximately 48 kg) in just three months. The objective of this work is to help the Meta robotics sector further grind future products, which are likely to be formally launched in the follow-up and for which listing time has not yet been determined.
According to two sources, Li-Chen Miller, Vice President of Meta Robotic Business Products, had worked at the Fulieha factory in Shanghai for almost two months, working together to advance the prototype.
The development of consumer-grade robots capable of assisting users in household and day-to-day affairs has become a more pressing goal for companies with the introduction of the phenomenon-grade personal Agent assistant product “Muse”. According to the source, Andrew Bosworth, Chief Technical Officer of Meta, described man-shaped robots as the physical form of Muse within Meta.
Although the project is still in its early stages, the prototype represents the most concrete progress in the robotic field since Meta ' s establishment early last year.
The Chinese robotics company, Fullier, which works with Meta, was established in 2015 with its headquarters in Zhangjiang, Shanghai, as a technology enterprise focused on universal robotics and intellectual rehabilitation. In recent years, in the field of human robotics, Fourier has introduced products such as GR-1, GR-2, GR-3 and put together core components such as smart hands.
GRW, a Freiye wheeled robot
I. 3 months of contact with Meta and Fourier to create Max to meet the needs of families
According to The Information, Max is about 1.5 metres tall and currently carries a Jetson Thor chip in Weiday and a software platform to help robots move. It has two loudspeakers on its chest, eyes on its face and mouth that simulate human expression, and five-finger robots that pick up small bottles and toys.
Meta built this customized robot based on the hardware and experience of the first, second and third generation robotic products of the Fourier. The two parties re-heighted the prototype machine, its body ratio, head design, display screens and cameras and added mechanical hand and shoe structures.
Meta also offers robotics to recognize and respond to specific human demands in a family environment. Both parties designed Max in response to various requests made by Meta, including the recognition of voices five metres away, understanding gestures or waved moves three metres away, maintaining eye contact and communicating through different signals, listening, thinking, talking and uncertainty.
Max's development requires a Meta team to travel to China to work closely with Fourier. According to two sources, Li-Chen Miller, Vice President of Meta Robotic Business Products, had worked at the Fulieha factory in Shanghai for almost two months, working together to advance the prototype.
At the end of August, Meta showed this prototype to some employees at an internal robot summit.
ii. Max 2 or will upgrade robots, projectors and stairwells. Device
According to sources, Meta and Fourier began developing Max 2 in September. The new version will use redesigned torts and improve the mechanics to enhance manipulation; it will also be equipped with projectors to display visual content. Max 2 will add more sensors to help robots get up and down the stairs.
Meta is currently forming its own internal robotics team. Recruitment information indicates that Meta is recruiting development engineers from suppliers in Shanghai to work with product design and manufacturing teams to help robotic operations “from the prototype phase to large-scale production”.
Meta is also recruiting a product design engineer and a technical project manager in Shenzhen for prototype development, project planning and large-scale production of Meta Romantics Studio.
Meta is also promoting robotic software. In May this year, Meta acquired the original company Assured Robot Intelligence. The company has developed an AI model for training robots to help them understand human behaviour and adapt to different environments.
III. COMPETITION BETWEEN HUMAN DIGITALS AND CHANGES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF META DIGITALS
If Meta tries to sell human robots to consumers in the future, it will face intense competition. Chinese companies have already scaled up the production of human-shaped robots, and Elon Mask has put a major bet on the human-shaped robot Optimus, which is now in its third generation.
In addition, start-ups such as Figure and 1X Technologies have been developing human robots for many years. Figure has started testing robots in the home environment, while 1X has started accepting NEO reservations.
There have also been recent management changes in the Meta robotics sector. The former CEO of Cruise, Marc Whitten, left Meta at the end of August for approximately 18 months. Ning Li is currently acting as interim head of Meta Romantics Studio and reporting to Andrew Bosworth, Chief Technical Officer of Meta.
According to sources, Bosworth has taken over part of Whitten ' s previous responsibilities, met regularly with the team and was involved in technical and operational issues in the sector.
Concluding remarks: Meta or Agent into a physical machine People
From the information currently disclosed, Meta appears to be trying to extend the power of Muse from the software interface to the real family environment. The details of the Max prototype and Max 2 show Meta's interest in robotic abilities in areas such as family interaction.
The future of this business will be able to move from an internal prototype to a family-oriented consumer-grade product, depending on robotic manipulation, environmental adaptability and volume costs.
Source: The Information
Auto-fetched and translated by AI Atlas. All rights belong to the original author.