According to Variety, Nvidia and Disney have partnered together on a new AI-based robotics project.
Nvidia and Disney Robotics Project
Nvidia has released a series of initiatives that are designed to “supercharge” the development of humanoid robots.
The technology company announced that they are partnering with Disney Research, as well as Google’s DeepMind AI lab, to develop “Newton.” Newton is described as “an open-source physics engine that lets robots learn how to handle complex tasks with greater precision.”
Disney has plans to advance their robotic character platform by utilizing the new AI technology. The tech would be used to power next-generation entertainment robots similar to the Star Wars-inspired “BDX” droids, which appeared during the keynote speech from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
The BDX droids are just the beginning. We’re committed to bringing more characters to life in ways the world hasn’t seen before, and this collanoration with Disney Research, Nvidia, and Google DeepMind is a key part of that vision. This colaboration will allow us to create a new gneration of robotic characters that are more expressive and engaging than ever before — and connect with our guests in ways that only Disney can.
Kyle Laughlin, senior VP at Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development
The BDX droids will soon make their way to Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris later this year. The walkaround robots recently made their debut with Disney Cruise Line aboard the Disney Wish, though they are not part of regular sailings.
Nvidia also announced the “Isaac GR00T N1” robot, the first of a family of fully customizable foundational models for “generalized humanoid reasoning and skills.” The company anticipates the release of the model to robotics developers worldwide.
In the past, Disney unveiled and playtested a free-roaming Groot Audio-Animatronic at Disneyland Resort, dubbed Project Kiwi, though this character has yet to appear again since.
You can see the BDX droids in action during a playtest at Disneyland in our video below:
For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.