To support our second hypothesis, we’ll show how quickly new behaviors can be authored on the real robot using the runtime edit-test loop, rather than redeploy, restart, or retrain workflows.
In Figure 7.20, we summarize measured from-scratch authoring sessions on real hardware.
Each row shows normalized active authoring time on a log-second axis with internal milestone structure recovered from screen recordings.
Checkmarks mark first autonomous success.
Gaps between daily sessions are excluded for the multi-day Alex bring-up.
Figure 7.20.
In-house real-robot from-scratch authoring durations on a log-second axis with internal milestone structure.
Rows are grouped by robot era.
The Nadia 2023 row does a stand-in-place opening with ArUco perception and teleoperated traversal in the final segment.
Checkmarks mark first autonomous success.
Times are normalized active authoring; gaps between daily sessions are excluded for the Alex bring-up.
The subsections below walk through each row in Figure 7.20 with a representative still, the authoring-time table, and a link to the screen recording.
This row is our earliest measured scratch door opening on Nadia, at 33 minutes.
However, the behavior used ArUco marker perception, a squared up approach, and teleoperation for the final traversal steps.
The session is shown in Figure 7.21.
Authoring times are presented in Table 7.18.
Figure 7.21. Nadia during the 2023 scratch right push door authoring session.
A video is available at https://youtu.be/SbBGpRHY_eE.
Elapsed time
Authoring milestone
0:00
Create new action sequence.
0:02
Approach door.
0:05
Right hand approaches handle.
0:07
Pre-grasp hand pose.
0:09
First handle-turn contact.
0:14
Latch disengaged.
0:20
Door pushed open with right hand.
0:24
Door pushed open more with left hand.
0:25
Door pushed open all the way with left hand.
0:26
Arms in collision-avoidance configuration.
0:32
Step forward a little.
0:33
Walk through the door frame.
Table 7.18. Historical 2023 Nadia right push door authoring milestones for the session summarized in Figure 7.20.
On January 2, 2026, we authored a looping standing right pull lever handle opening behavior on the Unitree H1-2 from an empty behavior tree.
The session reached first autonomous looping execution in 31 minutes and 43 seconds of active authoring time.
The progression is shown in Figure 7.22.
Authoring times are presented in Table 7.19.
Figure 7.22. Key frames from the Unitree H1-2 scratch authoring session on January 2, 2026, from sequence creation through screw primitive tuning to looping autonomous opening.
A video is available at https://youtu.be/7VGFufJWaR4.
From January 20 through 24, 2026, we brought up the first full Alex pull lever door traversal from scratch.
The measured active authoring total is 11 hours, 10 minutes, and 17 seconds.
That total is cumulative across five daily sessions and excludes inactive gaps between sessions.
A frame from the bring up period is shown in Figure 7.23.
Authoring times are presented in Table 7.20.
Figure 7.23. Alex during the January 20–24, 2026 first right pull door bring up, culminating in the first successful full traversal.
A video is available at https://youtu.be/zYYnatMz3wU.
Day
Time
Authoring milestone
Day 1
0:00:00
Create door/RightPullLeverHandle.json.
Day 1
0:32:59
Closed unlatch-and-open loop from a squared-up stance.
Door opens farther but not fully by end of session.
Day 5
7:52:57
Door fully open; first traversal step attempted.
Day 5
9:52:47
Full traversal footstep plan authored.
Day 5
10:54:06
Hold-open fallback added after force-related trouble.
Day 5
11:01:58
Pre-authored Pull right arm in clearance pose added.
Day 5
11:10:17
First successful full pull-door traversal.
Table 7.20. Normalized authoring timeline for the January 20–24, 2026 first Alex right pull lever handle door traversal shown in Figure 7.23.
The time column is cumulative across days but excludes inactive gaps between daily sessions.
On February 22, 2026, we authored a left push door traversal on Alex from an empty Left Push Door sequence to first fully automatic success in 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 48 seconds of active authoring.
This is the measured scratch case used in the comparative authoring process figure.
The session is shown in Figure 7.24.
Authoring times are presented in Table 7.21.
Figure 7.24. Screenshot from the February 22, 2026 scratch left push door authoring session on Alex.
A video is available at https://youtu.be/bLHQmV4GEFA.
Elapsed time
Authoring milestone
0:00:00
Create the Left Push Door sequence.
0:14:33
Door-panel scene action and squared-up pre-approach stance added.
0:24:22
Staggered approach stance executed.
1:21:14
First handle turn.
1:24:37
Door opened.
1:39:21
Right arm pushes door fully open.
1:49:24
Full traversal footstep set authored.
1:50:11
Traversal taken; arm task-space error sends the right arm backward.
1:51:13
Right-arm fix: bring the arm in for traversal.
1:58:15
shape contains points stop condition added if the door does not open.
1:59:48
First fully automatic push-door success.
Table 7.21. Normalized scratch authoring timeline for the February 22, 2026 left push door behavior shown in Figure 7.24.
