---
title: "Risking life instead of humans: ex-Tesla engineers build robot for NATO in just 5 months"
description: "Ex-Tesla and Boston Dynamics engineers have built the Roger humanoid robot for NATO in 5 months, replacing humans in bomb disposal and high-voltage tasks."
date: 2026-10-11T16:14:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ex-tesla-engineers-build-roger-robot-for-nato
tags: [robotics, nato, tesla, ai, military-tech, humanoid]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Risking life instead of humans: ex-Tesla engineers build robot for NATO in just 5 months

![Roger humanoid robot developed by Minerva Humanoids for NATO](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/11/eks-inzheneri-tesla-sozdali-robota-roger-dlya-nato/eks-inzheneri-tesla-sozdali-robota-roger-dlya-nato-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Minerva Humanoids startup created the Roger robot in just 5 months.
- The humanoid is controlled via VR headset and features onboard AI autonomy.
- The technology was tested at the NATO EOD Center of Excellence in Slovakia.
- Founders are former engineers from Tesla, MIT CSAIL, and Boston Dynamics.

American startup Minerva Humanoids, founded by former engineers from Tesla, MIT CSAIL, and Boston Dynamics, has unveiled the Roger humanoid robot. The uniqueness of the development lies in the fact that a fully walking prototype was built from scratch in record time—just five months. The project aims to radically change safety standards when performing critical and hazardous tasks, such as clearing explosive devices, handling high-voltage energy equipment accidents, and working with toxic substances.

### Innovative Technologies and Hybrid Control

The Roger robot combines cutting-edge advancements in artificial intelligence and direct remote control. The onboard Minerva Intelligence system handles routine yet complex physical processes: the apparatus automatically maintains body balance, corrects movement trajectories, and is capable of standing up independently if it falls. The operator controls the humanoid remotely using a VR headset with real-time video streaming from cameras. Thanks to a high-speed communication channel with minimal latency, every movement of the specialist is instantly and precisely replicated by the robot's mechanical hands.

### Overcoming the Limitations of Traditional Robotics

Before the advent humanoids, bomb squad units and emergency services relied primarily on tracked or wheeled platforms featuring a single manipulator. However, such devices are suitable only for basic operations, and in situations requiring high precision or simultaneous use of two hands, sappers still have to risk their lives and work manually. Dominic Esquivelt, a British special forces veteran and head of hazardous operations at Minerva, notes that the new robot spares specialists from taking the so-called long walk, allowing them to manage the process from a secure command post.

### International Cooperation and Future Prospects

Despite the software being developed in the United States, the assembly of the initial prototypes is carried out at manufacturing facilities in Germany. The startup plans to fully deploy production capacities in both countries. The project has already undergone testing at NATO's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Center of Excellence in Slovakia and successfully completed field tests at two major international airports. In addition, the company is collaborating with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and the University of Waterloo to explore operating capabilities in critical conditions such as dense smoke, darkness, or sudden sensor failures.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Будет рисковать вместо человека: экс-инженеры Tesla за 5 месяцев создали робота для НАТО](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rizikuvatime-zamist-lyudini-eks-inzheneri-1791457442.html) - Основной материал статьи содержит технические детали и контекст создания робота Roger.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Who developed the Roger robot?
**A:** The robot was developed by the American startup Minerva Humanoids, founded by ex-Tesla engineers Shandor Felber and Maurice Rahme.

### Q: What is the primary purpose of the humanoid?
**A:** The robot is designed to perform dangerous tasks instead of humans: bomb disposal, working under high voltage, and handling toxic materials.

### Q: How does the operator control the robot?
**A:** The operator uses a VR headset with real-time video feeds, while the Minerva Intelligence AI helps maintain balance and coordinate movements.