Engineers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have unveiled Humanoid v0.9, an updated robotic platform capable of heavy physical labor. The bipedal machine can push objects weighing up to 35 kg and lift cargo up to 20 kg while walking. This upgrade marks a shift from the previous v0.7 prototype, which focused primarily on rapid running and dance demonstrations.
Humanoid v0.9 coordinates locomotion and heavy lifting simultaneously. The machine shifts its physical posture during movement to maintain balance while transporting weights across flat surfaces. Integrated vision cameras track surrounding objects, allowing the control system to adjust joint angles during each step. Pushing heavy loads requires the software to calculate surface friction, whereas lifting tasks demand full balance management against the total mass of the cargo.
KAIST trained the machine using deep reinforcement learning. Instead of requiring manual programming for every movement, the software learned optimal walking and lifting behaviors through algorithmic trial and error. This development builds on the earlier v0.7 iteration, which gained attention for rapid agility and mimicking Michael Jackson moonwalk routines. The v0.9 model redirects that robotic agility toward practical material handling and warehouse labor.
