Robot Navigates Obstacles Without Vision
Foundation Robotics demoed its Phantom robot navigating an obstacle course of Legos and banana peels using only internal sensors like IMUs and torque sensors. The feat, achieved with just six motors per leg, showcases reinforcement learning for real-time body awareness and balance without relying on vision.
Foundation Robotics was established in May 2023 after acquiring Florida-based Boardwalk Robotics and rebranding its "Alex" humanoid as the "Phantom." The company was co-founded by Sankaet Pathak, former CEO of the bankrupt fintech firm Synapse, alongside venture capitalist Arjun Sethi and Mike LeBlanc, a Marine veteran who previously founded and sold the security robot startup Cobalt. The startup has raised at least $11-12 million in seed funding and is reportedly seeking significantly more at a valuation approaching $1 billion, reflecting intense investor interest in the humanoid sector. Pathak's prior company, Synapse, filed for bankruptcy in 2024, a point of controversy within the tech industry. The Phantom MK1 humanoid stands 1.75 meters tall, weighs around 80 kg, and can carry a 20 kg payload at a top speed of 1.7 m/s. Its limbs are powered by proprietary cycloidal actuators, which are back-drivable, a key feature for enabling safer interaction in environments shared with humans. Unlike many competitors who avoid military applications, Foundation is pursuing a "dual-use" strategy, explicitly targeting both industrial manufacturing and national defense sectors. The company has stated it is "the only American robotics company building humanoids for national defense" and envisions Phantom handling logistics, reconnaissance, and potentially carrying weaponry. The robot's software stack integrates large language models (LLMs) for high-level reasoning and task decomposition, which are then translated into specific movements by proprietary action models. This hybrid AI approach complements the reinforcement learning used for basic locomotion by allowing the robot to understand and execute complex, multi-step commands. Foundation Robotics is entering the market with a Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, providing fleets of humanoids through service contracts rather than direct sales. The company has ambitious scaling plans, aiming to deliver 40-50 robots in 2025 with a target of over 10,000 units in 2026.
