![\"figure-03-humanoid-robot\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1765182960_166_0x0.jpg\")
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Still captures of Figure 03 running, one of the first modern humanoid robots to achieve the feat.<\/p>\n
John Koetsier<\/p>\n
Update: Adcock just shared that Figure 03 is running at 6.5 mph<\/p>\n
Figure CEO Brett Adcock has teased<\/a> a short video of his company\u2019s Figure 03 robot running on Threads. While it\u2019s a short clip, it\u2019s very clearly showing quick acceleration, running, turning and deceleration. That\u2019s significant, because one of the primary shortcoming of today\u2019s humanoid robots is speed.<\/p>\n Or, rather, lack thereof.<\/p>\n Humanoid robot companies often hold the actual walking speeds of their robots very close to the vest, mostly because the numbers are often not impressive. Sanctuary AI has published<\/a> a maximum speed of 3 miles per hour for its humanoid robot, Phoenix. That\u2019s about the lower end of the posted speed<\/a> of the Unitree H1 as well, although there\u2019s considerable upward variability in that estimate. Agility Robotics\u2019 Digit is around three to four miles per hour as well. Figure\u2019s reported numbers<\/a> for Figure 03 are actually on the lower end of the scale, at 1.3 meters\/second, or 2.7 mph.<\/p>\n Turns out the company was sandbagging. Or perhaps recent development has been very successful indeed.<\/p>\n Because, just by a very rough visual estimate, Figure 03 is moving at a much, much faster rate. Walking speed for a human is in the three to four mph range. Jogging, or slow running, is in the four to six mph range. Figure 03 \u2013 or perhaps 04, Adcock doesn\u2019t specify \u2013 is actually above the upper end of the jogging range at 6.5 mph, Adcock just updated<\/a>. <\/p>\n Even without the CEO\u2019s update, we can be sure that the Figure robot is running because, clearly, both of Figure 03\u2019s feet are off the ground at the same time. In other words, this by definition running, not just fast walking.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also impressive to see the quick start, the rapid deceleration and the very smooth transition to facing back in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n It\u2019s so good, Adcock titles his teasing post \u201cHuman or Robot.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s clearly a robot, however, as you can see at the waist. (Of course, many things are possible with generative AI these days, but I don\u2019t think Adcock would publish something on his own channels if that was the case. For the record, I have asked the question, and will update this post with any response.)<\/p>\n Until I see better, I\u2019m thinking this is the smoothest and fastest humanoid robot in the west. There are some Chinese companies that promise significantly high speeds, but I have not personally seen them. Boston Dynamics of course has Atlas as well, which is quite fast, but I\u2019m not sure it fits in the same category as a robot that has had a job since late last year<\/a> and is at some level of actual production.<\/p>\n