Foundation · Humanoid · 2025
The Foundation Phantom MK1 is a camera-first industrial and defense humanoid from San Francisco startup Foundation Robotics (founded 2024 by CEO Sankaet Pathak). Standing 1,750 mm at ~80 kg, it carries 20 kg continuously (up to 36 kg peak) and walks at 1.7 m/s. Its core differentiator is a proprietary cycloidal actuator — up to ~160 N·m, back-drivable and impact-resistant, offering hydraulic-like torque with electric efficiency and human-safe compliance — technology inherited when Foundation acquired Boardwalk Robotics in December 2024 (Boardwalk's upper-body 'Alex' platform became the Phantom). Rather than LiDAR, it uses an 8-camera camera-first perception system feeding an LLM-driven task-to-motion stack: large language models reason over natural-language commands like 'pick that up,' proprietary physics-action models generate the motion, and a shared world graph coordinates fleets. With 19 upper-body DOF and anthropomorphic five-fingered hands, it targets assembly, inspection, logistics and reconnaissance in near-24/7 operation. Over 40 units were built by December 2025, and in February 2026 two units were sent to the Ukrainian frontline — believed to be the first deployment of a humanoid to an active combat zone. An MK2 with ~30% more payload is slated for 2026. NOTE: 19 DOF is the published upper-body figure; full-body count and finger DOF/IP rating not yet public (flagged).
Price on application
View full interactive profile, comparisons & videos →| Category | Humanoid |
| Sub-type | Industrial / Defense Humanoid |
| Status | Active |
| Year | 2025 |
| Origin | USA |
| Also known as | Phantom |
| Announced | 2025-02 |
| Released | 2025 |
| Weight | 80 kg |
| Frame | Steel / plastic |
| Degrees of freedom | 29 |
| Payload | 20 kg |
| Max speed | 1.7 m/s |
| Camera | 8 cameras — camera-first perception (no LiDAR) |
| AI model | LLM-driven task-to-motion stack: LLMs reason, proprietary physics-action models generate motion, shared world graph coordinates fleets; natural-language commands; human-in-the-loop training |
| Actuator type | Proprietary cycloidal actuators (from Boardwalk Robotics) - 160 N.m peak, back-drivable (<1.0 N.m), impact-resistant like hydraulics but clean/quiet/efficient like electric |
| Use cases | Industrial automation, Warehouse logistics, Assembly & inspection, Defense / reconnaissance |
| Made in | USA |
