The American technology company Figure AI, specializing in the development of humanoid robots, organized an unusual and spectacular farewell to its aging F.02 generation. Some of these machines had recently performed test tasks at the BMW plant in South Carolina, but instead of the standard disassembly for spare parts, their creators decided to send them into retirement in a dramatic way – by jumping into a bath of molten metal.
Before their final recycling, the humanoids underwent a series of special training at the startup's headquarters in San Jose. There, engineers taught them to autonomously balance, perform acrobatic stunts, do somersaults, and fall safely onto cushioned pads.
To implement their unconventional idea, the Figure AI team sought assistance from a specialized foundry in Finland, after factories in the US and Mexico refused to participate in a similar procedure. The company categorically emphasizes that the released footage is not the product of generative artificial intelligence or digital animation, but a completely real physical experiment with autonomously controlled machines.
After the metal from the molten robots cooled, the company turned the remains into unique, limited-edition collector's items. The limited-edition artifacts are offered to high-tech fans at prices starting at $500, with only a few copies of the F.02 series left.