Good morning, robotics enthusiasts. U.S. robotics startup Figure is reportedly in advanced talks with UPS to put its newest humanoids in shipping and logistics.

Agility’s Digit is already being tested by Amazon, while Tesla’s Optimus also aims for high-stakes logistics jobs. But working in real-world warehouses is a far cry from controlled demos. Is Figure game-ready?

In today’s robotics rundown:

• Figure may deploy humanoids with UPS

• Bots make burgers at new fast-food concept

• Humanoid market to hit $5T by 2050

• Roombas repurposed as home assistants

• Quick hits on other robotics news

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

FIGURE

📦 Figure may deploy humanoids with UPS

Image source: Figure AI

The Rundown: Robotics startup Figure is reportedly in advanced talks with UPS to deploy its latest humanoids across UPS’s logistics network, although the specific roles the robots would take on remain unclear at this stage.

The details:

• The potential partnership will complement UPS’s existing use of robotic arms, AI-driven software, and partnership with other robotics startups like Dexterity.

• Both UPS and Figure declined to comment on the specifics of the engagement, with UPS stating it does not discuss vendor relationships publicly.

• In February, Figure released a 90-second video on X, showcasing its sleek humanoid sorting small packages alongside conveyor belts.

• The company has also been working with BMW to test its Figure 02 robots, but some have questioned whether it has exaggerated the extent of the pilot.

Why it matters: Adcock targets shipping 100K robots by 2028—and partnerships with BMW and UPS could serve as crucial launchpads for getting its humanoids in real-world environments. Meanwhile, UPS is aggressively reducing its Amazon deliveries, slashing $3.5B in costs, and investing in automation and smart factories.

ABB ROBOTICS

🍔 Bots make burgers at new fast-food concept

Image source: ABB Robotics

The Rundown: ABB Robotics and BurgerBots have opened two new “fast-casual” locations in Los Gatos, California, where ABB’s IRB 360 FlexPicker and YuMi robot work together to assemble made-to-order $18 burgers in 27 seconds flat.

The details:

• The process begins with a human-cooked patty placed on a bun in a box, which is then QR-coded and sent along a conveyor for robotic assembly. 

• The IRB 360 FlexPicker reads the QR code to customize each burger, precisely dispensing toppings and condiments according to the order.

• YuMi completes the burger by assembling the final layers and closing the box, with the entire process taking just 27 seconds per burger.

• ABB’s robot controller monitors real-time inventory of ingredients, ensuring stock control and uninterrupted service.

Why it matters: This first-of-its-kind setup seamlessly combines two robot types and intelligent inventory tracking in a compact, customer-facing cell. The concept is designed for scalability, with BurgerBots’ founder and ABB executives predicting that robotic automation will become standard in restaurants within the next five years.

MORGAN STANLEY

🤖 Humanoid market to hit $5T by 2050

Image source: Ideogram/The Rundown

The Rundown: Morgan Stanley projects the global humanoid market will reach $4.7–5T in annual revenue by 2050, driven by industrial and commercial adoption, with China dominating supply chains and Tesla emerging as a key integrator.

The details:

• Morgan Stanley analysts estimate that 1B humanoid robots could be deployed globally by mid-century, with 13–14M coming into use by 2035.

• The rise of robots will also hit jobs, with machines potentially replacing 62.7M roles by 2050, starting with 40K roles by 2030.

• Tesla’s Optimus robot is central to the forecast, with the company planning to produce 10K–12K units in 2025 and scale up to 50K by 2026.

• Chinese firms are also advancing cost-efficient components and AI integration, with government initiatives aiming for 59M humanoids domestically by 2050.

Why it matters: The race for humanoid dominance is accelerating, with China controlling 63% of the global supply chain. As governments and corporations invest heavily, the sector is poised to reshape global manufacturing, logistics, and service industries, marking what analysts describe as the “next industrial revolution.”

UNIVERSITY OF BATH

🧹 Roombas repurposed as home assistants

Image source: The University of Bath

The Rundown: Scientists at the University of Bath just developed a framework to repurpose Roomba home vacuums to perform other household tasks, like watering plants with robotic arms and playing with pets with laser pointers.

The details:

• Researchers retrained a Roomba to perform four new tasks: charging a mobile, projecting workout videos, home monitoring, and providing status alerts.

• The work identified more than 100 potential applications that could be unlocked with simple hardware add-ons, like projectors or carts.

• Roombas sit idle for ~22 hours daily (used less than 2 hours/day)—leaving massive untapped potential to put them to work elsewhere.

• Conducted with the University of Calgary, the study was presented at the CHI 2025 conference, emphasizing user-centered robotics.

Why it matters: The research suggests that a little ingenuity can transform a single-task robot into a full-fledged home assistant. Of course, AI upgrades are needed for home vacuums to take on more complex environments, but the surging $24.5B home robotics sector should give manufacturers an incentive to think outside the box.

QUICK HITS

📰 Everything else in robotics today

Unitree live-streamed its G1 humanoid running 13km in two hours, averaging about 1.8m per second with two battery swaps.

Cornell University researchers developed a “robotability score” to rate every street in New York City on how adaptable it is to robots.

China’s Deep Robotics launched Lynx M20, a rugged version of its athletic robo-dog for industrial use, capable of rough terrain and extreme temperatures.

Starbucks is opening its first 3D-printed store in Texas, a drive-thru only location constructed by a computer-controlled robotic arm.

Glacier, a San Francisco-based AI and robotics startup backed by Amazon, raised $16M in Series A funding for its recyclable-material sorting robots.

China unveiled "Blue Whale," the world's first high-speed AI-equipped research vessel capable of staying up to 60 metres underwater autonomously for a month.  

North Carolina State University engineers developed a soft robot that is powered by light and designed to travel along aerial cables for power line inspections.

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Rowan, Jennifer, and Joey—The Rundown’s editorial team