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Humanoid Robots Headed to War? I Went Hands-On With the Phantom MK1

At Foundation's headquarters in San Francisco, I met the Phantom MK1 humanoid robot and controlled it using a VR headset. The CEO told me his aspirations to deploy the robot in factories, on battlefields and, someday, on Mars.

Headshot of Jesse Orrall
Headshot of Jesse Orrall
Jesse Orrall Senior Video Producer
Jesse Orrall (he/him/his) is a Senior Video Producer for CNET. He covers future tech, sustainability and the social impact of technology. He is co-host of CNET's "What The Future" series and Executive Producer of "Experts React." Aside from making videos, he's a certified SCUBA diver with a passion for music, films, history and ecology.
Expertise Future tech, sustainability, and social impact of technology Credentials
  • Gold Telly Award, 2X Silver Telly Award
Jesse Orrall

In the increasingly crowded field of humanoid robotics, one thing that makes Foundation and its Phantom robot stand out is the company's embrace of the defense industry. That includes perhaps someday weaponizing this technology.

With a lot of questions to ask, I visited Foundation in San Francisco to get a hands-on demo and a chance to teleoperate the robot. I also interviewed the company's founder Sankaet Pathak, who envisions this robot going everywhere from the battlefield to Mars -- one step at a time.

To witness this potential future warrior robot punch, walk, fall over and do the robot (courtesy of my teleoperation), check out the video in this article.

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Teleoperation involves using a VR headset with hand tracking to control the robot and have it mirror your movements.

Celso Bulgatti/CNET