American robotics company Figure has shared a new video showing one of its humanoid robots performing manual labour tasks inside a warehouse setting. The robot, called Helix-02, was seen sorting packages and placing them carefully onto a moving belt. Figure claimed that a team of such robots can complete a full eight-hour shift while matching human performance levels. The clip quickly caught attention online as it offered another glimpse into how AI-powered robots are slowly entering real workplace environments. While the robot successfully completed the task shown in the video, the footage also highlighted some clear differences between machine movement and human handling during physical labour jobs in warehouses and factories today.
In the video shared by Figure on its official X handle, the Helix-02 robot can be seen lifting packages one by one and adjusting their position before placing them onto a rotating conveyor belt. The robot makes sure that every package faces the correct direction before pushing it forward for the next step in the process.
The company presented the clip as an example of how humanoid robots can handle repetitive tasks that are usually performed by workers in warehouses and logistics centres. Figure also suggested that multiple robots working together could complete long shifts without breaks.
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Even though the robot successfully carried out the task, the video also revealed certain limitations. The speed of the robot appeared slower than what is normally expected from a human worker performing the same activity.
Another apparent problem with the machine was the process of handling packages. Unlike people, the machine was not very gentle during the handling of boxes. It is quite possible that sometimes the packages were being roughly thrown to the floor, which could lead to damage to goods packed in them.
In the same way, the way the machine pushed boxes toward the conveyor line also appeared rather rough.
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Although there are many problems that can be seen with this technology, it still indicates the fast development of AI robotics. Moreover, the machines like Helix-02 can be used in those fields that require repetitive manual labour which is life-threatening. Through updates in the future, some problems such as poor movement and slow speed will surely be solved.