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Helix: A vision-language-action model for generalist humanoid control

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51–60 of 178 posts

Re: Helix: A vision-language-action model for generalist humanoid control

#51
post #46

I don't know, there has been so many overhyped and faked demos in humanoid robotics space over the last couple years, it is difficult to believe what is clearly a demo release for shareholders. Would love to see some demonstration in a less controlled environment.

Imagine they bring one out to a construction site and they treat the robot as a new rookie guy, go pick up those pipes. That would be an ultimate on the fly test to me.

Re: Helix: A vision-language-action model for generalist humanoid control

#52
post #48

Is this even reality or CGI? They really should show these things off in less sterile environemtns because this video has a very CGI feel to it.

Natural, cluttered environments are a lot tougher to deal with. This near future-y minimalist environment has the dual benefits of looking stylish and being much closer to whatever they were able to simulate at scale for training the models.

Re: Helix: A vision-language-action model for generalist humanoid control

#53
post #15

Until we get robots with really good hands, something I'd love in the interim is a system that uses _me_ as the hands. When it's time to put groceries away, I don't want to have to think about how to organize everything. Just figure out which grocery items I have, what storage I have available, come up with an optimized organization solution, then tell me where to put things, one at a time. I'm cautiously optimistic…

I imagine a something like a headlamp except it's a projector and a camera so it can just light up where it wants you to pick something up in one color or where it wants you to put it down in another color. It can learn from what it sees of my hands how the eventual robot should handle the space (e.g. not putting heavy things on top of fragile things and such).

I'd totally use that to clean my garage so that later I can ask it where the heck I put the thing or ask it if I already have something before I buy one...

Re: Helix: A vision-language-action model for generalist humanoid control

#54
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is called "watching YouTube tutorials". We've had it for decades.

But what if there's no YouTube tutorial for the exact AC unit you have and it doesn't look like any of the videos you checked out?

Have you met people that seem to be able to fix almost anything?

If you can't get a tutorial on your exact case you learn about the problem domain and intuit from there. Usually it works out if you're careful, unlike software.

Re: Helix: A vision-language-action model for generalist humanoid control

#55
post #21
post #15

Until we get robots with really good hands, something I'd love in the interim is a system that uses _me_ as the hands. When it's time to put groceries away, I don't want to have to think about how to organize everything. Just figure out which grocery items I have, what storage I have available, come up with an optimized organization solution, then tell me where to put things, one at a time. I'm cautiously optimistic…

Maybe I don't understand exactly what you're describing but why would anyone pay for this? When I bring home the shopping I just... chuck stuff in the cupboards. I already know where it all goes. Maybe you can explain more?

It would be nice to be able to select a recipe and have it populate your shopping list based on what is currently in your cupboards. If you just chuck stuff in the cupboards then you have to be home to know what they contain.

Or you could wear it while you cook and it could give you nutrition information for whatever it is you cooked. Armed with that it could make recommendations about what nutrients you're likely deficient in based on your recent meals and suggest recipes to remedy the gap--recipes based on what it knows is already in the cupboard.

Re: Helix: A vision-language-action model for generalist humanoid control

#56
post #21
post #15

Until we get robots with really good hands, something I'd love in the interim is a system that uses _me_ as the hands. When it's time to put groceries away, I don't want to have to think about how to organize everything. Just figure out which grocery items I have, what storage I have available, come up with an optimized organization solution, then tell me where to put things, one at a time. I'm cautiously optimistic…

Maybe I don't understand exactly what you're describing but why would anyone pay for this? When I bring home the shopping I just... chuck stuff in the cupboards. I already know where it all goes. Maybe you can explain more?

Yes it's pretty amazing how so many people seem to overcomplicate simple household tasks by introducing unnecessary technology.

Re: Helix: A vision-language-action model for generalist humanoid control

#57
post #21
post #15

Until we get robots with really good hands, something I'd love in the interim is a system that uses _me_ as the hands. When it's time to put groceries away, I don't want to have to think about how to organize everything. Just figure out which grocery items I have, what storage I have available, come up with an optimized organization solution, then tell me where to put things, one at a time. I'm cautiously optimistic…

Maybe I don't understand exactly what you're describing but why would anyone pay for this? When I bring home the shopping I just... chuck stuff in the cupboards. I already know where it all goes. Maybe you can explain more?

> why would anyone pay for this?

Presumably, they won't as this is still a tech demo. One can take this simple demonstration and think about some future use cases that aren't too different. How far away is something that'll do the dishes, cook a meal, or fold the laundry, etc? That's a very different value prop, and one that might attract a few buyers.

Re: Helix: A vision-language-action model for generalist humanoid control

#60
At this point, this is enough autonomy to have a set of these guys man a howitzer (read as old stockpiles of weapons we already have). Kind of a scary thought. On one hand, I think the idea of moving real people out of danger in war is a good idea, and as an American i'd want Americans to have an edge... and we can't guarantee our enemies won't take it if we skip it, on the other hand I have a visceral reaction to machines killing people.

I think we're at an inflection point now where AI and robotics can be used in warfare, and we need to start having that conversation.

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