A Unitree G1 Robot Cleans a Kitchen Using GPT-6 Astra

HomeBody, designed by teams from Stanford and Caltech, enables a Unitree G1 to perform household tasks in an unfamiliar kitchen by relying on a vision-language model linked to low-level skills. The device has shown latency issues, finger overheating, and high computational costs. The code is published, while evaluations highlight a trade-off between advancements in spatial reasoning and safety alerts, and OpenAI has expressed its intention to return to robotics.

High Latency, Overheating, and Costs Reported

Researchers report that GPT Astra exhibits notable latency and that the robot's finger servomotors can overheat. They also mention that the system's execution requires significant computational resources. Additionally, a separate evaluation highlighted safety issues when Astra controls a robot.

Language Directly Drives Robotic Skills

HomeBody removes the control layer typically trained between the language model and the robot. The vision-language model, here GPT Astra, connects directly to an extensible skills library, allowing the robot to grasp objects, move around, or open drawers. For tasks like cleaning a kitchen, the model plans each step and adjusts its behavior in case of errors.

Exploration, Digital Twin, and Spatial Memory for the Task

Designed by researchers from Stanford and Caltech, HomeBody gives a Unitree G1 robot the ability to autonomously navigate an unfamiliar kitchen, organize, and retrieve items stored in drawers. The robot begins with an exploration phase of the room, generates a digital replica of the space in Nvidia's Isaac Sim, and records objects along with their positions in a spatial memory, enabling it to locate items even when they are no longer in its line of sight. The trial shows that GPT-6 Astra operates effectively with robots. The project's code is available on GitHub. Previous evaluations have highlighted a significant improvement in Astra's spatial reasoning, while another noted safety issues during robotic control. OpenAI has also announced plans to return to robotics, including for personal use.