The American startup Figure has officially retired its F.02 humanoid robot model. The company decided to decommission the fleet as it shifts focus toward the development of the F.03 and F.04 generations, noting that maintaining older hardware consumes resources that could otherwise support future research.
The idea for the dramatic disposal method, which involved the robot jumping into a furnace, was suggested by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The actor personally attended the event in Finland, wearing protective gear and guiding the machine to the furnace in a tribute to the film Terminator 2.
Finding a suitable facility for the process proved challenging. Numerous companies across the United States and Mexico declined the request due to safety concerns regarding the lithium batteries contained within the robots. Figure eventually secured a compliant facility in Imatra, Finland.
To execute the final act, Figure engineers developed a specialized AI model. This software was designed to enable the robot to perform the jump into the furnace with high precision and visual impact, marking the end of the F.02 operational lifecycle.
