Realbotix founders on hyper-realistic humanoid robots, from companions to commercial use
kyliebytes · x · 2026-10-15
Ashlee Vance's podcast Robots Like Us (EP 92) interviews Realbotix CEO Andrew Kiguel and founder Matt McMullen. The company builds humanoid robots that actually look human — McMullen spent years refining animatronics and lifelike materials, and his past creations (the inspiration behind Lars and the Real Girl) drew heavy media attention for straddling companionship and adult territory.
Realbotix now aims at a different direction: putting AI-infused bots to work in hotels, hospitals and schools, with conversational ability and vision systems to recognize people and surroundings. Vance argues most humanoids are boring, function-first machines, while Realbotix focuses on how humans and robots will interact and co-evolve.
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