# Minerva unveils VR-controlled humanoid Roger for bomb disposal with $10M funding

Digest AI · Robotics & Physical AI · published 2026-10-08T14:30:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/minerva-unveils-vr-controlled-humanoid-roger-for-bomb-disposal-with-10

## Summary

Minerva Humanoids, a San Francisco-based startup, emerged from stealth this week with **Roger**, a VR-piloted humanoid designed for bomb disposal, hazardous material response, and offshore rig work. The robot allows human specialists to operate remotely from a safe distance, handling tasks requiring two-handed dexterity that currently require in-person risk exposure. Minerva secured approximately **$10 million** in pre-seed funding, led by **General Catalyst** and **Hugging Face**, with prototypes built in Germany and software developed in the U.S. The company claims it developed Roger’s walking prototype in just **five months**, leveraging in-house AI for balance, navigation, and fall recovery while the operator controls fine manipulation via VR headset.

CEO **Sandor Felber**, formerly of **Tesla’s Optimus** and MIT’s humanoid research, and CTO **Maurice Rahme**, a former **Boston Dynamics** tech lead, lead the effort. Paid pilots in energy and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) are set to begin this fall after a demo at NATO’s EOD Centre of Excellence in Slovakia. Minerva argues that traditional bomb-disposal robots—often tracked vehicles with single arms—lack the dexterity to handle complex tasks safely from a distance.

## Key points

- Minerva Humanoids raised ~$10M pre-seed funding from General Catalyst and Hugging Face for its VR-controlled humanoid Roger
- Roger uses VR for remote operation, with AI managing balance, navigation, and fall recovery for bomb disposal and rig work
- Paid pilots in energy and EOD sectors begin this fall after a NATO demo in Slovakia

## Why it matters

Roger could reduce human exposure to hazardous environments by enabling remote control of delicate tasks like bomb disposal, addressing gaps in current robotic solutions.

## Sources

1. [Meet Roger, the bomb-squad humanoid](https://therundown.ai/articles/meet-roger-the-bomb-squad-humanoid) (The Rundown AI, 2026-10-08)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Minerva unveils VR-controlled humanoid Roger for bomb disposal with $10M funding", 8 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/minerva-unveils-vr-controlled-humanoid-roger-for-bomb-disposal-with-10

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