Shipyard Safety Gets a Humanoid Upgrade in ABS–Persona AI Alliance
- ABS and Persona AI are launching pilot projects to test humanoid robots for inspection work in shipyards.
- The data will help define what’s needed to certify robots for use in remote surveys and guide future robot design.
ABS is partnering with Persona AI to bring humanoid robots into shipyards. The goal is to test how well these robots can handle inspection work in tight, complex spaces. The robots are designed to navigate human-built environments and take on inspection tasks that benefit from added mobility and flexibility.
The agreement kicks off a series of pilot projects that will collect data from the robots during ship construction. ABS will use the results to figure out what’s needed to support remote inspections, what kind of information to collect, how to judge its quality, and how to use it for certification. The results will also help shape future robot designs that meet real-world shipyard needs.
"This marks a defining moment for the shipbuilding industry,” said Nic Radford, CEO and Co-Founder of Persona AI, in a press release. “Partnering with ABS, the global authority on maritime standards, demonstrates that humanoid robotics are no longer a distant concept but on a path toward certified reality, set to transform how this industry builds, innovates, and competes."
Persona AI is a Houston-based startup building humanoid robots for demanding industrial environments. Its team brings experience from space and deep-sea robotics, and its platform incorporates technology originally developed by NASA. By partnering with ABS, a 160-year-old authority on maritime safety standards, Persona AI aims to bring its machines into real-world shipbuilding workflows.
🌀 Tom’s Take:
Getting visibility into how humanoid robots are actually certified for industrial use is rare. This partnership offers a real-world look at the pilots, data, and hard questions that determine whether these systems are truly ready, and what it takes to get them there.
Source: Business Wire / ABS
