Loco-manipulation

Loco-manipulation is the simultaneous execution of locomotion (moving through space) and manipulation (interacting with objects). The defining humanoid control problem: holding balance, planning footsteps, regulating contact forces, and tracking an arm task all under one controller. Distinct from sequential locomotion-then-manipulation (walk to the table, stop, then pick up the object), which is a much easier problem.

Most humanoid demos through 2024 were sequential. The shift to true loco-manipulation — picking something up while walking, carrying it while navigating uneven terrain — is what the 2025-2026 cohort (Atlas, Figure 03, Apollo, Digit) has been demonstrating. It's the central technical capability that distinguishes a research-platform humanoid from one that can do useful warehouse work.