• Nvidia, in collaboration with Disney Research and Google DeepMind, has developed Newton, a physics engine to simulate robotic movements.
  • Disney will use Newton to power its next-gen entertainment robots, including Star Wars-inspired BDX droids, set to appear in theme parks.

Nvidia has teamed up with Disney Research and Google DeepMind to develop Newton, a cutting-edge physics engine designed to simulate robotic movements in real-world settings.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced the collaboration at GTC 2025 on Tuesday, emphasizing Newton’s potential to revolutionize robotics in entertainment and beyond.

Bringing Star Wars-inspired Robots to Life

Disney will be one of the first to integrate Newton into its next-generation robots, including the Star Wars-inspired BDX droids.

During the keynote, one such droid made an appearance onstage next to Huang, showcasing its ability to waddle autonomously.

Disney has long envisioned bringing these interactive robots to its theme parks, and following successful controlled demos, including at SXSW 2025, the company is preparing to deploy them across multiple locations starting next year.

How Newton Enhances Robotics

According to Nvidia, Newton is designed to help robots become more “expressive” while improving their ability to handle complex tasks with greater precision.

The engine allows developers to simulate robotic interactions with different environments and materials, such as food, cloth, and sand, which are traditionally challenging for robotic development.

Newton will also integrate with Google DeepMind’s suite of robotic tools, including MuJoCo, a physics engine that specializes in simulating multi-joint robot movements.

This compatibility is expected to enhance the accuracy and realism of robotic interactions.

Open Source and Future Applications

Nvidia plans to release an early, open-source version of Newton later in 2025, making it available to developers worldwide.

Kyle Laughlin, Disney Imagineering’s SVP, noted that the collaboration with Nvidia and Google DeepMind will play a vital role in shaping Disney’s entertainment robotics moving forward.

In addition to Newton, Nvidia announced several other innovations at GTC 2025, including the AI foundation model Groot N1 for humanoid robots, upcoming AI chips Blackwell Ultra and Rubin, and a new line of personal AI computers.

Edited By Annette George