Technology Snapshot
A concise view of platform maturity and deployment footprint.
Flagship PlatformAlex
Boardwalk Robotics
PrivateDeveloped practical upper-body humanoids focused on high-speed industrial manipulation.
Founded 2017Undisclosed raised
Humanoid Robots
About Boardwalk Robotics
Boardwalk Robotics was an American robotics company founded in 2017 in Pensacola, Florida, as the commercial partner of the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC). The company focused on practical humanoid robotics, developing upper-body manipulation systems designed to automate industrial work without the added complexity of bipedal locomotion. Its flagship platform, Alex, was a humanoid upper torso with 19 degrees of freedom engineered for high-speed, human-like manipulation in manufacturing and logistics. By eliminating legs, Boardwalk prioritized faster arm motion, lower system complexity, and quicker commercial deployment. In December 2024, the company was acquired by Foundation Robotics Labs, with its technology becoming part of Foundation’s broader general-purpose humanoid robotics program.
Technical Profile
Platform maturity, autonomy stack, and flagship-system specifications in one view.
Latest Updates
December 2024Acquisition AnnouncedCorporate
Foundation acquires Boardwalk and absorbs the platformIn December 2024, Boardwalk was acquired by Foundation Robotics Labs. The robot was renamed Phantom, and Foundation began piloting the platform in industrial use cases.
Boardwalk Robotics Team
Boardwalk Robotics History
- September 7, 2017
Boardwalk Robotics is founded out of IHMC expertise
Boardwalk Robotics was founded in 2017 by Jerry Pratt, a veteran researcher at IHMC. The institute is legendary in bipedal robotics, its team took second place at the DARPA Robotics Challenge using a Boston Dynamics Atlas.
IHMCPensacola - 2018 - 2023
Nadia and related research systems define the technical roots
Boardwalk's most visible collaboration was co-designing Nadia, IHMC's advanced research humanoid named after Olympic gymnast Nadia Comaneci. The company's expertise spans mechanical design, software and control, and robot testing.
NadiaResearch humanoids - August 22, 2024
Alex becomes the near-term workforce platform
Boardwalk entered the commercial market with Alex, a workforce humanoid upper torso for manufacturing, logistics, and maintenance. Alex focused on advanced manipulation from a stable base rather than bipedal locomotion.
AlexUpper torso humanoid - December 2024
Foundation acquires Boardwalk and absorbs the platform
In December 2024, Boardwalk was acquired by Foundation Robotics Labs. The robot was renamed Phantom, and Foundation began piloting the platform in industrial use cases.
AcquisitionPhantom