Mag7 are into Humanoid Robots. Mag7 are not low tech US car manufacturers. That is, even before Optimus is launched, it already have tough competitors. Hence Optimus won’t be a huge success as hope by TSLA cultists.
Boston Dynamics is too early in the game.
The main goal of Figure AI is to create a humanoid robot, known as Figure 01, that can perform dangerous jobs and help alleviate labor shortages, according to the report.
“Figure’s near-term goal is to deploy humanoids into the workforce, and we believe that the structured, repetitive, and often dangerous tasks in a warehouse are a great potential first application,” Brett Adcock, the firm’s founder and CEO, said at the time.
After reading much, still don’t get the humanoid form factor. For familiarity? Human hands are most dexterous? But why legs and not wheels? Is it because of stairs? Why need a human head? Why not a spherical head?
Btw, I have seen many robots deployed in malls and restaurants in Austin.
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Millions of years of evolution shaped the human form and it’s highly adaptive and very successful. Spiders with fingers might work even better but they would creep people out.
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China car manufacturers are already using humanoid robots?
Interview with founder and CEO of Fourier Intelligence.
Singapore 
President Xi asked and was given a demo
Fourier Intelligence is focusing on healthcare and rehab, not trying to do household chores. In Singapore, plenty of stay-in maids to do that. Humanoids have no advantages and in fact are creepy.
Aim to be a platform Healthcare is only one application. Working with other industry to develop other applications. Good idea. So is not gunning for AGI, if I understand correctly.
Is already selling them and have been delivering to US, China and Asia.
Apparently one of his client is working on AGI 
Other include auto, banks, dancing clubs, household appliances, etc
Current clients are mostly research labs. The humanoids are “research” version selling for US$100k to $250k. Consumer version would be much cheaper.
His biomechanics background result in a humanoid that look very like a human. Reason for humanoid is because it is designed for operating in a human designed workspace.
Edit: Linked Youtube video became private because mentioned XI?? My notes is not complete 
Not every jobs that humans do are best replaced with humanoid robots. For example, humanoid robots are not suitable in restaurants. A simpler robot is more efficient.
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That one might not work in Payson AZ. Many folks are too old to remember what they ordered 
Can use robots to carry food, servers to take them out. Is what some restaurants did.
Efficient arrangement of kitchen, pass-thru, etc. makes robots superfluous in all but the largest restaurants.
Use of old style cash registers instead of new-fangled ones a person practically needs a PhD to run also helps.
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Think you misunderstood me. Robot go to the customer’s table. Server go to the table to take out for customers. So far I see two ways of using robots…
a. Go to the table, customers take them out e.g. Kura
b. Go to the table, servers take out to place on table e.g. Haidailao
Don’t really know what you are talking about. Many new payment methods…
a. NFC payment (through a handheld from Square, Toast or Clover)
b. QR code (can be on paper or online)
c. Online payment (iPhone, Apple Watch, Touch ID Macs)
Btw, all three methods can use Apple Pay
There is little cost savings if the server has to go to the table with the robot. A serving cart would be cheaper.
I’ve been at places where it takes forever to tally up the bill. All I can say is that those machines had better be calling vendors when inventories run low and doing all the taxes and accounting considering the amount of time they waste. You see it in retail as well. Try to buy just one item at PetSmart and see how long it takes the cashier to ring it up. Took 3-5 seconds when I worked retail in the 70’s.
Robots aren’t cheap. The cost savings needs to be substantial to justify the investment.
Robots start with plates and return empty. Servers are stationed near customers. Servers also do small talk to entertain customers. There is a set of helpers that move plates from kitchen to robots.
In Haidailao, ordering (self-help) is through an iPad. The iPad is placed in a slot attached to the table. Payment is through a handheld that will retrieve the order from the system. So ordering and payment is efficient and contains no error.
Btw, not all Haidailao have robots. The one in MainStreet-CU doesn’t has.
Hmm… not all restaurants use robots. Petsmart is not a restaurant.
There are many robots in use. Security type and cleaning type. They are not humanoid.
The engaging part of all this is the smalltalk. That’s why a lot of people eat out but often servers are too rushed for it cutting into both the customer experience and the server’s tips.
This could work well in some venues but would be a non-starter in others. Some restaurants in Payson have suffered because they use the payment system you described but the older customers find it confusing and impersonal.
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Wise restaurant operators would use the payment method that is appropriate to their customer profile. Customers of haidailao are mostly young and tech savvy. Country Holders Inn use traditional payment method because most of their customers are fairly old. Long Horn restaurant use traditional payment with a QR code printed on the paper bill… customers can choose to do the traditional way or use the QR code and pay online via Apple Pay… profile of customers are mixed, some young, some old.
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