Meta Is Developing Humanoid Robots. This Has Huge Potential For Healthcare

On Friday, Meta leadership announced that it would be launching an entirely new division dedicated to its latest initiative: developing AI powered humanoid robots.

The division will reportedly be under its existing Reality Labs unit, which has achieved rapid success across multiple disciplines ranging from advanced wearables technology and nano hardware to developing an entire ecosystem dedicated to virtual and augmented reality. In fact, Reality Labs was initially started as a sandbox for the more ambitious bets that the company was planning to embark upon. Over time, under the leadership of CEO and founder of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, many of these bets have transitioned from risky endeavors to widely adopted successes.

Now, the company is making a commitment to develop humanoid robot technology that will be powered by AI. Andrew Bosworth, Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, explained that the innovation will focus primarily on “consumer humanoid robots with a goal of maximizing Llama’s platform capabilities… ‘We believe expanding our portfolio to invest in this field will only accrue value to Meta AI and our mixed and augmented reality program.’”

Llama refers to Meta’s open-source large language model, which the company states has become one of the most widely adopted models worldwide with nearly 650 million downloads and nearly 600 monthly active users via its Meta AI platform.

Indeed, the company has made incredible progress in the last few years. One of the most notable achievements is its AI glasses product, which entail all-day wear glasses that also seamlessly integrate with Meta AI and provide the ability for users to capture photos/videos, livestream, listen and call. This is independent from Meta’s even more sophisticated Orion project, which focuses on true augmented reality glasses. As the company has invested billions to make eye glasses a new medium for advanced communications and for users to harness the best of AI, it has accordingly unlocked an entirely new world of hardware. As explained, “Orion is a feat of miniaturization – the components are packed down to a fraction of a millimeter. Dozens of innovations were required to get the design down to a contemporary form that [users would]

be comfortable wearing every day.”

All of this innovation has empowered the company with an unmatched foundation to build and launch a meaningful humanoid robot, especially with the significant strides it has made with “always on” sensors, substantially more nimble hardware stacks and open source foundation models.

As for healthcare, there is so much potential for a positive impact. Rote physical tasks remain an important cornerstone of the current healthcare industry. From routine nursing tasks to patients struggling with daily chores around the home, there is so much that a humanoid robot can do to alleviate burdens. For example, for elderly patients that cannot lift something heavy or perhaps require assistance while alone, a humanoid robot can provide significant value. In a clinical setting, robots may be able to address important labor gaps, especially for easily repeatable tasks. Overall, this technology may one day become as ubiquitous as phones have become in the medical field; many phone applications are now the primary sources of searchable information that were only acquirable through books and database searches just 20 years ago.

In fact, robots in the clinical landscape are not a new phenomenon. The Moxi robot by Austin based Diligent Robotics for example, integrates itself into clinical workflows and assists by transporting lab supplies, procuring and distributing staff PPE and many other tasks.

Meta’s advanced technology may also transition robotics use-cases from solely clinical settings into patients’ hands– quite literally. Its immense work in the field of hand and finger tracking and proprioception give it a massive foot forward. For example, the Meta Digit 360, which is an “artificial finger-shaped tactile sensor that delivers rich and detailed tactile data by digitizing touch with human-level precision,” is one of the company’s most innovative advancements, and can perhaps enable new forms of remote patient monitoring or tactile mobility for patients of the future.

Undoubtedly, Meta is not alone in this quest to launch a successful humanoid robot, nor will it be the only one to make a significant impact with this technology, especially in the field of healthcare. One alternative that is frequently cited is Telsa’s Optimus robot, which Elon Musk has promised will significantly augment daily human life by providing support for routine and difficult chores. Nvidia has also made significant commitments to the world of robotics, especially given its widely used and industry renowned hardware stacks. Smaller companies such as Figure AI have also made incredible progress in this field; in fact, the company just announced that it is in talks to raise nearly $1.5 billion in fresh capital, underscoring the demand for this sector.

Assuredly, regardless of the many winners, this heated competition will inevitably result in significant benefits to healthcare in the coming decade.