In a landmark achievement for embodied AI, Figure AI officially introduced Helix 02 on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
While the previous version of Helix focused on upper-body dexterity, Helix 02 represents a total architectural shift toward Full-Body Autonomy. This is the first system that connects every onboard sensor—including vision, touch, and proprioception—directly to every actuator through a single, unified neural network.
SEO Title: Figure AI Unveils Helix 02: The World’s First Full-Body Autonomous Robot System
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Meta Description: Figure AI launched Helix 02 on Jan 27, 2026. Featuring the new “System 0” for learned whole-body control, it unloads dishwashers and handles pills with 3g tactile sensitivity.
1. The Breakthrough: System 0, 1, and 2
Helix 02 introduces a three-layered foundation that replaces traditional, rigid robotics code with “learned behavior” at every scale.
- System 0 (The Foundation): A learned whole-body controller that replaces over 109,000 lines of hand-engineered C++. It manages balance, contact, and coordination at 1 kHz (1,000 times per second), enabling natural, stable motion trained on 1,000+ hours of human data.
- System 1 (The Bridge): Translates real-time perception (vision and touch) into joint targets at 200 Hz.
- System 2 (The Reasoner): Handles semantic understanding, allowing the robot to follow high-level commands like, “Go to the dishwasher and put the bowls on the counter.”
2. Key Performance Milestones
Figure AI demonstrated the robot performing what it claims is the longest-horizon autonomous task in humanoid history: a four-minute, unscripted session of unloading and reloading a dishwasher.
| Capability | Helix 02 Technical Achievement |
| Loco-Manipulation | Blends walking and handling delicate objects (like glass) as a single continuous behavior. |
| Whole-Body Usage | Uses hips to close drawers and feet to lift doors when hands are occupied. |
| Tactile Sensitivity | Embedded fingertip sensors detect forces as small as 3 grams (the weight of a paperclip). |
| Visual Feedback | Palm cameras provide “in-hand” vision, allowing the robot to see objects even when they are occluded from its head cameras. |
3. New Classes of Dexterity
With the integration of the Figure 03 hardware platform, Helix 02 can now tackle “micro-tasks” that were previously impossible for bipedal robots:
- Medical Precision: Extracting individual pills from a blister pack and dispensing exact syringe volumes.
- Complex Triage: Singulating small, irregular objects from a cluttered box.
- Bimanual Coordination: Seamlessly transferring objects between hands while in motion.
4. Strategic Context: From Pilot to Production
The launch comes as Figure AI scales its “Project Go-Big” initiative.
- BMW Success: In late 2025, Figure 02 fleets successfully contributed to the production of 30,000 vehicles at BMW’s Spartanburg plant.
- BotQ Facility: Figure is now funneling Helix 02 into its BotQ manufacturing line, which is designed to produce 12,000 robots per year, targeting a total of 100,000 units by 2029.
- Home Entry: CEO Brett Adcock indicated that the stability of Helix 02 makes Figure 03 ready for limited “Home Assistant” pilots later in 2026.
Conclusion: The End of Hand-Coded Robotics
Helix 02 signals the end of the “State Machine” era in robotics. By proving that a single neural network can manage both room-scale locomotion and millimeter-scale finger movements, Figure AI has moved humanoid technology from a scripted novelty to a general-purpose tool. As these robots begin to appear in warehouses and eventually homes, the “System 0” approach will likely become the industry standard for safe, human-like interaction.
