Nvidia’s Newton: Revolutionizing Robotics with Disney and Google DeepMind

At GTC 2025, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced Newton, a cutting-edge physics engine developed in collaboration with Disney Research and Google DeepMind. Designed to simulate robotic movements in real-world environments, Newton aims to enhance how robots interact with their surroundings, making them more expressive and capable of handling complex tasks with precision.

Disney will be among the first to adopt Newton, using it to power its next-generation entertainment robots, including the Star Wars-inspired BDX droids. During his keynote, Huang was joined onstage by one of these droids, showcasing the potential of the technology. Disney has long envisioned bringing these robots to its theme parks worldwide, and with Newton’s capabilities, the company plans to roll them out starting next year.

Kyle Laughlin, SVP of Disney Imagineering, emphasized the significance of the collaboration, stating that Newton will play a pivotal role in advancing Disney’s future entertainment robotics.

Newton is designed to help robots become more expressive and adept at handling complex tasks. It enables developers to simulate how robots interact with the natural world, addressing one of the most significant challenges in robotics. The engine is highly customizable, allowing developers to program interactions with a wide range of materials, including food, cloth, sand, and other deformable objects.

Additionally, Newton will integrate seamlessly with Google DeepMind’s ecosystem of robotic development tools, including its physics engine, MuJoCo, which specializes in simulating multi-joint robot movements.

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

The announcement of Newton was just one of many highlights at GTC 2025. Nvidia also introduced Groot N1, an AI foundation model for humanoid robots designed to improve environmental perception and reasoning. The company also shared updates on its next-generation AI chips, including the Blackwell Ultra and Rubin architectures, and unveiled a new line of “personal AI computers.”

With Newton and its other innovations, Nvidia continues to push the boundaries of robotics and AI, solidifying its role as a leader in the tech industry.