Intel Corp.’s venture capital arm has invested $9 million in Figure AI Inc., a startup working to build a humanoid warehouse robot.

TechCrunch reported the investment today. Intel’s capital infusion follows a $70 million raise that Figure disclosed in May. That round included the participation of several institutional investors as well as the startup’s founder and Chief Executive Officer Brett Adcock.

Before launching Figure, Adcock founded online recruiting platform Hired Inc. and Archer Aviation Inc., a publicly traded company developing robot taxis. Adcock bootstrapped Figure with a $100 million investment prior to the $70 million raise it announced in May.

“Intel Capital is constantly searching for companies that push the boundaries of innovation, and we believe that Figure has the potential to shift the way the world thinks about artificial intelligence,” said Intel Capital Managing Director Mark Lydon.

The startup’s stated goal is to build the “world’s first commercially viable autonomous humanoid robot.” It released a rendering of its first prototype, a system called Figure 01, in early March on the day it exited stealth mode. Adcock told IEEE Spectrum at the time that the startup was planning to build five robots based on the initial prototype design.

The Figure 01 is expected to measure 5.2 feet tall and weigh about 130 pounds. If everything goes according to plan, it will have the ability to carry a 40-pound payload. Figure’s engineers are reportedly targeting a five-hour battery life for the system.

The prototype iteration of the robot that Figure detailed in March is equipped with 2,170 compact batteries. Those batteries provide electricity for not only the Figure 01’s motors, but also the array of onboard sensors it uses to survey its surroundings. Built-in 5G and Wi-Fi networking equipment will allow the robot to exchange data with other internet-connected devices, such as autonomous machines with which it shares a workspace.

Figure currently relies primarily on off-the-shelf robot components to build its systems. However, the startup reportedly operates a machine shop at its Sunnyvale, California, office that can produce custom-designed parts. The office also hosts a miniature warehouse that Figure engineers can use to test the robot’s capabilities in a realistic environment.

Figure envisions the Figure 01 finding use in warehouses such as e-commerce fulfillment centers. In the longer term, the startup believes the system could find use elsewhere as well, such as at retail locations or on the factory floor. 

In early March, Figure stated that it was expecting its prototype system to “start to take its first steps” within a month. At the time, the startup was already working on a second iteration of the prototype. Adcock has stated that Figure’s goal is to develop a new release of both the system’s hardware and software every six months.

The funding from Intel Capital could help support the development effort. Nvidia Corp., Intel’s top rival in the AI chip market, has also backed a number of robotics startups over the past few years. One of those startups is Serve Robotics Inc., which recently inked a partnership with Uber Technologies Inc. to deploy a fleet of 2,000 delivery robots.

Investing in robotics startups can potentially help chipmakers secure processor supply deals down the road. Autonomous warehouse machines often include multiple onboard processors, including specialized AI accelerators that run their machine learning software. Nvidia offers several chips designed specifically for the robotics market, while Intel makes central processing units and AI accelerators that can theoretically also be used in autonomous systems. 

Image: Figure