Nvidia is working with Disney Research and Google Deepmind to develop Newton, a physics engine that simulates robot movement in real-world settings.
Disney will be the first to use Newton to drive the next generation of entertainment robots, like the Star Wars-inspired BDX Droids.
Nvidia plans to release an early open source version of Newton in the second half of 2025.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will debut the Groot N1, a general-purpose basic model of humanoid robots, with Disney’s BDX droid at GTC 2025 Pic.twitter.com/irgumhygjc.
– TechCrunch (@techcrunch) March 18, 2025
For years, Disney has pitched the idea of bringing these Star Wars-inspired robots to parks around the world. There were several controlled demonstrations of droids. Recently, it’s available on SXSW 2025. Now, thanks to Newton, Disney probably feels tech ready, with plans to showcase the robots at several theme park locations starting next year.
In a press release, Disney Imagineering SVP Kyle Laughlin said that Nvidia’s collaboration with Google Deepmind will play a key role in providing the power of future Disney entertainment robots.
Newton is more “expressive” and “is supposed to help robots learn how to handle complex tasks more accurately,” says Nvidia. Physics Engine is designed to help developers simulate how robots interact with nature.
Nvidia claims Newton is highly customizable. For example, developers can use it to program robotic interactions with food, cloth, sand, and other deformable objects.
Newton is compatible with Google Deepmind’s ecosystem of robot development tools, including Mujoco, a physics engine that simulates the movement of Multi-Joint Robot.
Newton was one of many announcements Nvidia made this week to launch GTC 2025. The company has also announced the Groot N1, an AI foundation model for humanoid robots. Additionally, the company has shared a timeline for next-generation AI chips, including Blackwell Ultra and Rubin, and has announced a new line of “personal AI computers.”
