Figure, a Bay Area robotics startup, will begin “alpha testing” its humanoid robot, Figure 02, in home settings later in 2025. CEO Brett Adcock attributes this accelerated timeline to the company’s “generalist” Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model. Adcock’s announcement follows Figure’s recent reveal of its new machine learning platform, Helix.
Will humanoid robots be focused on doing housework as well as operating in industrial environments https://t.co/BrmqYuEQ7j
— John Hagel (@jhagel) March 7, 2025
Helix powers home robot testing
Helix is designed to process both visual data and natural language input, expediting the system’s ability to learn new tasks. Earlier this month, Figure ended its collaboration with OpenAI in favor of relying on proprietary AI models like Helix. Home integration has been on Figure’s roadmap for a while.
The Helix platform announcement included videos showing robots performing household tasks such as food preparation. Helix is specifically engineered to coordinate two robots working on a single task simultaneously.
Despite this, like many competitors, Figure has prioritized industrial tasks over household chores.
RETROSPECTIVE: 20 Years of Humanoid Robots
Humanoid robots developed at RoMeLa from 2004 to 2024!
And something NEW for 2025…https://t.co/CtWjaXfYqU@RoMeLaUCLA @UCLAengineering @UCLA @UCLAMechAeroEng #HumanoidRobots #Humanoid #Robotics pic.twitter.com/ko2bANKVDk— Dennis Hong (@DennisHongRobot) March 6, 2025
Picking objects up from the floor will be an essential skill for general-purpose humanoid robots.
Atlas can do it, and among all bipedal robots, OG Atlas is the only other one I can recall demonstrating this capability. pic.twitter.com/3JE3w9KXK8
— The Humanoid Hub (@TheHumanoidHub) March 6, 2025
We’re designing Atlas to do anything and everything, but we get there one step at a time. See why we started with part sequencing, how we are solving hard problems, and how we’re delivering a humanoid robot with real value. pic.twitter.com/0ImC8sKQsN
— Boston Dynamics (@BostonDynamics) March 5, 2025
In early 2024, the company began piloting its humanoid systems in South Carolina factories and warehouses—environments seen as more structured and safer than homes. Automakers such as BMW have shown willingness to fund these tests.
Other humanoid robotics firms, including Apptronik and Tesla, have also expressed interest in developing robots for home use. Beyond household tasks, these robots are considered potential solutions for assisting aging populations in countries like Japan and the U.S., enabling older individuals to live independently longer. Norwegian startup 1X is among the few companies navigating the complex path to home robotics.
Challenges include price concerns and homes’ variability, such as uneven lighting, different floor surfaces, and the presence of pets and children. Figure’s home testing plans for 2025 remain in the very early “alpha” stages, suggesting extensive trials throughout the year before broader deployment.
