Nvidia has announced a groundbreaking collaboration with Disney Research and Google DeepMind to develop Newton, a cutting-edge physics engine designed to simulate robotic movements in real-world environments.
The announcement was made by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during his keynote address at the GPU Technology Conference 2025 on Tuesday.
Disney will be among the first companies to leverage Newton to enhance its next-generation entertainment robots. This includes the Star Wars-inspired BDX droids, one of which made a dramatic appearance onstage alongside Huang during his keynote.
Nvidia plans to release an early, open-source version of Newton later this year, allowing developers to integrate its capabilities into various robotics applications. The engine is expected to significantly improve the expressiveness of robots while enabling them to handle complex tasks with greater precision.
Disney has long envisioned incorporating advanced robotics into its theme parks, with several demonstrations of the BDX droids taking place over the years. The most recent showcase occurred at SXSW 2025. With Newton’s capabilities, Disney Imagineering Senior Vice President Kyle Laughlin stated in a press release that the company is now confident the technology is ready for broader implementation. Disney plans to introduce these robots across multiple theme park locations starting next year.
According to Nvidia, Newton offers extensive customization, allowing developers to program robotic interactions with various objects, including food items, cloth, and sand. The physics engine will also be fully compatible with Google DeepMind’s existing suite of robotic development tools, including MuJoCo, a simulation platform for multi-joint robot movements.
Newton was just one of several major announcements from Nvidia at GTC 2025. Huang also introduced Groot N1, a general-purpose AI foundation model designed for humanoid robots. The company says Groot N1 will enable robots to better perceive and reason about their surroundings. Additionally, Nvidia unveiled its next-generation AI chip roadmap, featuring Blackwell Ultra and Rubin, along with a new line of personal AI computers.
With these advancements, Nvidia continues to push the boundaries of robotics and artificial intelligence, reinforcing its role as a key player in the future of automation and interactive entertainment.
