26-May-2025 :

Intempus, a newly launched AI and robotics startup, is taking a radical approach to intuitive machines by modeling its robots on human physiology. The company believes that true general-purpose robotics will require more than sensors and LLMs—it needs 'digital bodies' capable of experiencing synthetic fatigue, energy, and even stress signals.
Founded by former NASA engineers and cognitive scientists, Intempus has built what it calls a 'computational physiology engine'—a simulation layer that mimics how the human body regulates energy, balance, alertness, and emotional reactivity. This system is layered on top of neural policies and language models to give robots a sense of bodily presence.
The company's core theory is that real-time decision making in humans is tightly linked to our physical states—like when you’re tired, hungry, or overstimulated—and that AI systems need a parallel model of state awareness to exhibit organic intelligence. By giving robots something akin to a 'gut feeling,' Intempus hopes to enable more fluid human-robot interactions.
The startup is still in early stages but has already released demos showing robots that slow down under simulated fatigue, pause under threat, or reallocate power based on simulated 'cortisol-like' stress models. Intempus’ early customers include DARPA research affiliates and robotics labs focused on human-in-the-loop applications.
With a mission rooted in embodied cognition, Intempus is challenging conventional LLM-first approaches to robotics by emphasizing synthetic biology principles and real-world adaptive context. The company’s site, intempus.org, outlines its research roadmap and technical philosophy.