In a significant development for the robotics industry, Fourier, a company specializing in embodied intelligence, has recently announced the successful completion of a new round of financing, amassing nearly 800 million yuan in totalThis round saw participation from several prominent investors, including Guoxin Investment, Pudong Venture Capital, Zhangjiang Science and Technology Investment, Zhang Keyaokun Fund, Prosperity7, and Junshan CapitalSuch financial backing reflects the growing interest in robotics, particularly in the realm of humanoid robots, which Fourier has embraced through its strategic shift from rehabilitation robots to the more ambitious goal of developing humanoid machines.

Fourier's CEO, Gu Jie, recently engaged in an insightful dialogue with Huxiu, elaborating on the company’s transition and his visionary expectations for the robotics industry by 2025. Drawing from his experiences at significant industry conferences, he reminisced about a pivotal moment at the GTC conference where NVIDIA's CEO Jensen Huang passionately outlined the company's plans surrounding embodied intelligence, flanked by nine humanoid robots from various renowned firms, including Boston Dynamics and Figure AI

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Among them stood Fourier's humanoid robot, GR1, a testament to the company's innovative journeyNVIDIA has entered into a partnership with Fourier, providing crucial computational platforms and collaborating on the development of a groundbreaking universal foundational model for robots, known as the 'GR00T' project.

This partnership symbolizes a broader consensus emerging within Silicon Valley regarding the future of humanoid roboticsRecently, even OpenAI has reignited its interest in humanoid robotics, reinstating a previously dissolved internal robotics software team, indicating a robust shift in focus within the tech industry.

Gu Jie's passion for robotics can be traced back 22 years to his time as a student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, where he participated in the inaugural National College Student Robotics Television Competition, themed around scaling Mount Everest

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Fast forward to five years ago, Gu led Fourier's transition from focusing solely on rehabilitation robots toward the more challenging goal of building humanoid robots.

This ambitious choice, which some might describe as idealistic, has not come without its tribulations, likened to a modern-day “Yugong Yishan”—a tale of persistence in the face of daunting challengesGu Jie recalls the agonizing yet transformative journey of addressing over a thousand distinct technical issues, the complexities of navigating the opaque realm of neural networks, and the overwhelming sense of accomplishment that accompanies the assembly of each new generation of humanoid robots.

Fourier is not the only company in the robotics sector striving to pivot toward humanoid robotics, but the path is fraught with challenges, as not all companies can navigate through this narrow gateway

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Fourier's edge stems from its prior experience in rehabilitation robotics, particularly in core components that translate well into humanoid robot designTheir steadfast commitment to bipedal forms culminated in 2023, marking them as the first company in the industry to mass-produce bipedal humanoid robots.

Reflecting on his journey, Gu Jie made the bold move in 2015 to leave his executive position at National Instruments in the U.Sand return to Shanghai, establishing Fourier TechnologyInitially, the goal was to develop small humanoid robots, around several tens of centimeters tallHowever, the pressing aim was simply survival; thus, the company opted to dive into the commercial viability of rehabilitation robots, a sector with clearer market prospects.

In March 2017, Fourier unveiled its first-generation lower-limb exoskeletal rehabilitation robot, the Fourier X1, which became the first exoskeleton in China to incorporate “tactile” feedback

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This innovative development brought them closer to their vision of humanoid roboticsNevertheless, limitations remained; patients using the exoskeleton still required crutches for stabilityThe pressing question was how to enhance robotic assistance for human needs, a question that invariably pointed back to the design and capabilities of humanoid robotics.

2019 marked a turning point, as Gu Jie, with his engineering background, recognized the shifting technological landscapeThe advent of frameless motors and the amplified capabilities of motors and actuators opened the door for constructing more agile and complete humanoid robot formsDespite recognizing the idealistic nature of these advancements, the potential for application remained unclear.

Fortunately, many of the experiences garnered from developing exoskeletal rehabilitation systems proved transferable to humanoid robots—particularly in the realms of gait realization, center of gravity control, and essential sensor technologies

Unlike other companies that initially targeted upper limbs, Fourier's breakthrough in lower-limb technologies laid the groundwork for progressively advancing toward upper limbs.

Fourier's belief that wheel-based robots, while easier to develop, ultimately wouldn't fulfill the complete potential of humanoid technologies underscores their commitment to developing bipedal formsSuch versatility would enable humanoid robots to adapt to various environments, maximizing the inherent value of the technology.

Gu Jie also envisions a transformative future for humanoid robots within medical rehabilitationHe sees them functioning like therapists, providing companionship to stroke patients who cannot eat or drink independently by assisting in speech and motor skills rehabilitation, effectively exercising the patients’ minds.

However, when initially outlining their humanoid robot projects, Gu set modest goals, simply hoping to achieve basic mobility to establish a foundation for future innovations

He refrained from assuming that the robot could develop generalized abilities, as he was unaware of the game-changing variable that emerged with the launch of GPT in 2022, which subsequently altered the trajectory of the robotics sector.

The developments following the introduction of GPT catalyzed a surge within the humanoid robotics industryEvents that once seemed unattainable, such as Boston Dynamics' shift from hydraulic to electric systems, became reality, ushering in a new era in robotic potentialFourier too, accelerated its humanoid development journey, introducing the first full-sized humanoid robot, GR-1, and achieving mass production and delivery in 2023, followed by the launch of the next-generation humanoid robot, GR-2, in 2024.

Nonetheless, the five-year journey of rigorous refinement has posed significant challenges for FourierAfter finalizing the initial product, the team identified close to a thousand issues during testing

Gu Jie remembers it as a dauntingly long list that required painstaking incremental improvementsIn total, the GR1 underwent eight versions of iteration, each exploring varying structures and configurations.

While each iteration unveiled fresh challenges, for Gu Jie, simply recognizing those problems was an inherently optimistic momentIdentifying the crux of issues meant that solving them was merely a matter of time and engineering—altering designs or fortifying structures were tangible steps forward.

The most stressful periods, ironically, arose when issues remained stubbornly elusiveThe nature of humanoid robotics necessitates a holistic approach, where the interconnectedness of movement and stability relies heavily on underlying neural networks.

The complexities of these networks often resemble a black box; innovators might find themselves meticulously tuning algorithms only for the robots not to respond

Gu Jie recalls moments of despair, when the machines refused to operate despite exhaustive troubleshooting efforts, compelling him to confront the painful unknowns through trial and errorYet, witnessing each new robot come to life after extensive iterations made every struggle worthwhile.

The instant a robot first moves is unparalleled, evoking a strong sense of fulfillmentGu Jie describes the experience as extraordinary; when pushed, the robot exhibits reflexive behavior—dynamics powered by neural networks—mirroring natural animal instinctsThe emotional weight of that moment is both awe-inspiring and profound.

Over the last 22 months, the pace of innovation in the robotics field has surged, surpassing the cumulative developments witnessed throughout the industry's historyHowever, Gu Jie remains cognizant of existing limitations, particularly in robots' generalized capabilities

Such advancements will necessitate further time and exploration.

Moreover, the next steps hinge upon the cultivation of talent, the acquisition of quality data, and the establishment of robust foundations to sustain further growth.

Fortunately, after the GTC conference, Gu Jie has begun to sense a shift in the external landscape: an influx of talented engineers joining Fourier has gradually fortified the teamFurthermore, various downstream applications in sectors like banking and manufacturing are progressively opening up, while advancements in upstream industries such as GPUs and sensors are accelerating.

This dynamic landscape shows promise; by 2024, Fourier aims for small-scale mass production, with reports of over a hundred units delivered as of SeptemberGu Jie is optimistic that by 2025, production rates for humanoid robots will experience a tenfold increaseWhile achieving true large-scale production remains a future pursuit, he believes that the timeline will likely arrive faster than anticipated.

This rapid growth phase has drawn substantial capital investments, allowing teams to secure funding quickly; yet this influx also harbors signs of unhealthy competition within the industry