Ex-SpaceX/Apple Vets Unveil Noble Machines
A team of former SpaceX, Apple, and NASA engineers has unveiled Noble Machines, a new startup focused on physical AI. Their system can handle 27kg payloads and reportedly achieves a 95% simulation-to-reality transfer rate using NVIDIA's development pipelines, a major step forward for industrial robotics.
The company, formerly known as Under Control Robotics, emerged from stealth with a deployed humanoid robot at a Fortune Global 500 customer in just 18 months. This deployment marks a significant milestone, as Noble Machines focuses on proving its AI in real-world industrial operations before scaling. Leading the venture is co-founder and CEO Wei Ding, who aims to tackle hazardous and physically demanding jobs in sectors like manufacturing, construction, logistics, and energy. The founding team's experience comes from notable tech giants including Apple, SpaceX, NASA, and Caltech. The company's humanoid robot, Moby, is designed for "whole-body" AI control and can learn new skills in hours instead of months through language instructions, gestures, and demonstrations. Moby is capable of navigating steep inclines and outdoor environments, handling a payload of up to 60 lbs (27 kg). Noble Machines is positioning itself to create rugged, adaptable robots for heavy industry, focusing on performance for hazardous tasks rather than human-like aesthetics. This strategy emphasizes collaboration between humans and robots to enhance safety and efficiency. The company is also collaborating with industrial tech providers like ADLINK, Schaeffler, and Solomon to advance its technology.
