Overview

Phoenix is the humanoid universal robot from Canadian company Sanctuary AI, based in Vancouver. The company positions the machine as a workforce for industrial tasks and has developed it across multiple generations. Currently, Phoenix is not available for broad sale but is being tested through selected partnerships.

Construction

The robot measures approximately 170 centimeters and weighs about 70 kilograms. The focus is on the gripper system, as Sanctuary AI relies on hydraulically driven hands with 21 degrees of freedom, which rank among the most dexterous commercial robot hands. In early 2025, the company enhanced the fingertips with new tactile sensors that detect very fine forces.

Technology and AI

Phoenix combines the hardware with the proprietary control software Carbon, which is designed to enable new tasks to be learned relatively quickly. The tactile sensors provide feedback on very small forces, which is important for sensitive gripping.

Market Significance

Sanctuary AI pursues a purely industrial approach and has deployed Phoenix at supplier Magna in vehicle manufacturing, among other places. There is currently no sales channel for research or private customers.