Disney’s Adorable Robots Powered by Nvidia and Google DeepMind: A Tech Collaboration
Nvidia has officially announced an exciting collaboration with Disney Research and Google DeepMind to create Newton, a cutting-edge physics engine designed to simulate robotic movements in real-world environments. This innovative project was revealed by Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, during the GTC 2025 event.
Transforming Robotics with Newton
Disney is set to be one of the first organizations to utilize Newton for its next-generation entertainment robots, including the highly anticipated Star Wars-inspired BDX droids. A BDX droid even made a special appearance on stage alongside Huang during the keynote presentation.
Release Timeline for Newton
Nvidia plans to launch an early open-source version of Newton later in 2025, allowing developers worldwide to experiment and innovate with this advanced technology.
Disney’s Vision for Robotics
For several years, Disney has been working on integrating these Star Wars-themed robots into its theme parks globally. The most recent demonstration of these droids took place at SXSW 2025. With the introduction of Newton, Disney is optimistic that the technology is now ready for action, with plans to showcase the robots at multiple theme park locations beginning next year.
Disney Imagineering’s Insights
According to a press release from Kyle Laughlin, Senior Vice President of Disney Imagineering, the partnership with Nvidia and Google DeepMind will be instrumental in enhancing the capabilities of future Disney entertainment robots.
The Capabilities of Newton
Nvidia describes Newton as a tool that will allow robots to become more expressive and improve their ability to handle complex tasks with enhanced precision. This physics engine is specifically designed to assist developers in simulating how robots interact with the natural world, addressing common challenges faced in robotics development.
- Highly Customizable: Developers can program robotic interactions with various objects, including food, cloth, sand, and other deformable materials.
- Integration with Google DeepMind: Newton will seamlessly work with Google DeepMind’s suite of robotic development tools, including MuJoCo, which simulates multi-joint robot movements.
Additional Announcements at GTC 2025
Newton was just one of several major announcements made by Nvidia during the GTC 2025 event. The company also introduced Groot N1, a general-purpose foundation model aimed at enhancing the capabilities of humanoid robots, enabling them to better perceive and reason about their environments. Furthermore, Nvidia shared a timeline for its upcoming AI chips, including Blackwell Ultra and Rubin, and unveiled a new series of personal AI computers.
For more information on Nvidia’s advancements, visit the official Nvidia website.