> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://news.theresarobotforthat.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # This robot clears tables and loads dishwashers - URL: https://news.theresarobotforthat.com/this-robot-clears-tables-and-loads-dishwashers/ - Published: 2025-11-20T11:00:48.000Z - Updated: 2025-11-20T11:00:52.000Z - Description: PLUS: Figure 02's big milestone at BMW, the EV-to-humanoid pipeline, and Germany’s new industrial robot - Author: Ulrich Baldauf - Tags: Newsletter ## Welcome back to your Robot Briefing Sunday Robotics is betting that the future of home robots isn't about flashy tricks—it's about clearing your dinner table and loading your dishwasher. Their wheeled robot Memo uses a novel training method with $400 gloves worn by remote workers, and it can already grasp two glasses in one hand while navigating real kitchens. The shift from backflips to dishes might finally signal that practical home robotics has arrived. But can Memo—or any robot—actually handle the chaos of real homes with kids, pets, and daily messes? In today's Robot update: Memo robot clears tables and loads dishwashers Figure 02 completes 11-month BMW factory deployment Chinese EV makers pivot to humanoid robotics Germany's Agile Robots unveils industrial humanoid News ### The Robot Butler Arrives **Snapshot:** Startup Sunday Robotics has unveiled Memo, a wheeled home robot that can [autonomously make espresso](https://www.wired.com/story/memo-sunday-robotics-home-robot/?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com), clear tables, and **load dishwashers** in real-world kitchens—moving beyond demos to tackle actual household chores. Breakdown: Memo uses a unique training approach where remote workers wear **$400 gloves** that mimic the robot's hands to perform household tasks, generating more accurate data than traditional teleoperation methods. The robot demonstrated impressive dexterity by grasping two glasses in one hand simultaneously—holding one between thumb and pointer finger while using remaining fingers to grab the second—then loading both into a dishwasher. Sunday Robotics joins a wave of startups like Physical Intelligence, Skild, and 1x racing to build **practical home robots** , backed by investors who believe the era of robots that actually work in messy, real-world homes has arrived. **Takeaway:** The shift from robots that do backflips to robots that do dishes marks a turning point in making household robotics practical. Beta testing next year will reveal whether Memo can handle the chaos of real homes with kids, pets, and everyday mess—the true test of any home robot's usefulness. News ### Figure's Factory Floor Milestone **Snapshot:** Figure AI completed an 11-month deployment of its [Figure 02 humanoid robot at BMW](https://www.figure.ai/news/production-at-bmw?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com)'s Spartanburg plant, where the robot worked 10-hour shifts and helped produce more than **30,000 vehicles** . Breakdown: The robot logged over **1,250 hours** of runtime across daily shifts, loading more than 90,000 sheet-metal parts while traveling an estimated 200+ miles through 1.2 million steps. Figure 02's primary task involved picking sheet-metal parts from racks and placing them on welding fixtures with 5-millimeter precision in just 2 seconds, requiring the team to balance speed with accuracy to meet an 84-second cycle time. Hardware failures in the forearm assembly—Figure 02's most problematic component—led engineers to completely redesign the wrist electronics for Figure 03, eliminating distribution boards and reducing complexity. **Takeaway:** This deployment marks one of the longest documented runs of a humanoid robot on an active automotive assembly line, providing concrete data on real-world performance and reliability challenges. The lessons learned directly shaped Figure 03's design, positioning the next generation for broader industrial deployment. News ### The EV-to-Humanoid Pipeline **Snapshot:** Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers like [Xpeng](https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3331958/big-reveal-xpeng-founder-unzips-humanoid-robot-prove-its-not-human?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) are rapidly expanding into humanoid robotics, betting that their advanced manufacturing capabilities and AI expertise will give them a competitive edge in a market they predict will surpass automotive. Breakdown: Xpeng's [Iron robot](https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3331958/big-reveal-xpeng-founder-unzips-humanoid-robot-prove-its-not-human?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) earned praise from Elon Musk earlier this month, with the company targeting sales of **1 million units** by 2030 and mass production starting at the end of 2026\. CEO He Xiaopeng projects that humanoid robot production costs will eventually match car manufacturing levels, enabling household adoption, and believes the robot market potential is **greater than cars** . Major Chinese automakers including Chery, Nio, BYD, and others are entering robotics by leveraging [AI technologies](https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3306493/chinese-ev-maker-xpeng-use-own-ai-chip-power-its-self-driving-cars-quarter?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) developed for autonomous vehicles to bridge the gap between humans and machines. **Takeaway:** The convergence of EV manufacturing scale and autonomous driving AI creates a natural pathway for Chinese automakers to dominate humanoid robotics. China's advantage in producing high-quality, cost-efficient components could accelerate the timeline for robots moving from factories into homes and businesses. News ### Germany's Humanoid Contender **Snapshot:** Munich-based Agile Robots has [launched Agile ONE](https://www.agile-robots.com/en/news/detail/agile-robots-launches-humanoid-robot-for-industry-agile-one/?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com), its first humanoid robot designed for industrial collaboration, featuring highly dexterous hands and a layered AI architecture trained on real-world factory data. Breakdown: The humanoid's five-fingered hands build on the company's existing [Agile Hand](https://www.agile-robots.com/en/solutions/agile-hand/?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) technology and integrate **fingertip and force-torque sensors** in every joint to handle tasks ranging from manipulating tiny screws to operating power tools with human-like precision. Agile Robots trains its AI model on one of Europe's largest **real-world industrial datasets** supplemented with simulation data, using a three-layer architecture that separates strategic task planning, rapid response actions, and fine motor control. The company plans to manufacture the humanoid in-house at a new facility in **Bavaria** starting early 2026, integrating it with their existing portfolio of robotic arms like [Diana 7](https://www.agile-robots.com/en/solutions/diana-7/?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com), mobile robots, and the AgileCore software platform. **Takeaway:** Agile Robots positions itself as a full-stack provider that controls hardware design, AI training, and manufacturing entirely in Germany. The company's integrated approach aims to create connected production systems where humanoids work alongside specialized robots rather than replacing existing automation. ### Other Top Robot Stories **MarketsandMarkets** [projects](https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/agricultural-robot-market-173601759.html?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) the agricultural robot market will surge from $17.73 billion to $56.26 billion by 2030—a 217% expansion driven by labor shortages, precision farming demand, and automation adoption across major segments including robotic prostatectomy systems, partial nephrectomy platforms, and farm produce handling. **Distalmotion** [raised](https://www.distalmotion.com/news/distalmotion%5Fraises%5F150%5Fmillion%5Fto%5Faccelerate%5Fdexter%5Fexpansion?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) $150 million in Series G funding to accelerate U. S. commercialization of its DEXTER surgical robot, targeting the rapidly growing ambulatory surgery center market with a mobile platform that fits any operating room without modifications and keeps surgeons at the patient's bedside. **MindOn** [trained](https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/is-this-the-future-of-housework-watch-a-robot-tackle-chores-with-ease/?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) the Unitree G1 humanoid to perform household chores like watering plants, closing curtains, and tidying up with natural fluid movements—notably without any teleoperation, marking a shift toward fully autonomous home robots that can handle tasks requiring sensitivity and dexterity. **🤖 Your robotics thought for today:** What's a quality you admire in someone you work with that you'd never think to program into a robot—but secretly wish more people had? Tell me – what do you think? Until tomorrow, Uli