Apptronik’s Apollo is the latest humanoid robot to beat Tesla to market

Apptronik unveiled a new workforce robot today. Named Apollo, the machine is designed to “work in environments designed for, and directly alongside, humans.” The android is initially intended to move and carry cases and totes in logistics and manufacturing settings. But the Austin-based Apptronik sees Apollo expanding into “construction, oil and gas, electronics production, retail, home delivery, elder care” and more. Apollo follows Xiaomi’s reveal of the CyberOne robot last year, which looked remarkably similar to the still-unreleased Tesla Bot.

The 5-foot-8, 160-lb Apollo can lift up to 55 lbs. (Apptronik says it optimized efficiency by making its arms lighter than the weight they can lift.) It uses swappable batteries — running up to four hours per pack — which should provide more flexibility than robots that require wall charging before springing back into action. “In short, this battery-based approach means greater work output for Apollo and greater operational efficiency for customers,” Apptronik wrote in a press release today.

Apptronik views Apollo as a robot that can adapt to the job. The company says it built “modularity into Apollo’s design, empowering users to decide whether Apollo is best used for their applications as a true bi-pedal walking humanoid, a torso that operates on wheels or one mounted in a stationary location.” The robot has digital panels on its face and chest to provide a “friendly, human-like countenance” to make workers feel comfortable working alongside it (as it potentially moves towards automating their jobs).

Apptronik hasn’t announced public pricing for the robot. You can read more about Apollo on the company’s product page.