# Rhythm: Learning Interactive Whole-Body Control for Dual Humanoids

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.02856 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.02856/

## Key facts

- Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 3 Mar 2026.

## Built on by (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [CoHuB: A Simulation Benchmark for Multi-Humanoid Collaboration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.34782/) (2026)
- [MASkillBlender: Decentralized Whole-Body Coordination for Multi-Humanoid Loco-Manipulation via Skill Blending](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2610.01102/) (2026)
- [CoDance: Learning Reactive and Compliant Human-Humanoid Interaction from Video](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2610.05324/) (2026)
- [Multi-Agent Egocentric World Model with Fine-Grained Embodied Interaction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2610.12299/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Realizing interactive whole-body control for multi-humanoid systems is critical for unlocking complex collaborative capabilities in shared environments. Although recent advancements have significantly enhanced the agility of individual robots, bridging the gap to physically coupled multi-humanoid interaction remains challenging, primarily due to severe kinematic mismatches and complex contact dynamics. To address this, we introduce Rhythm, the first unified framework enabling real-world deployment of dual-humanoid systems for complex, physically plausible interactions. Our framework integrates three core components: (1) an Interaction-Aware Motion Retargeting (IAMR) module that generates feasible humanoid interaction references from human data; (2) an Interaction-Guided Reinforcement Learning (IGRL) policy that masters coupled dynamics via graph-based rewards; and (3) a real-world deployment system that enables robust transfer of dual-humanoid interaction. Extensive experiments on physical Unitree G1 robots demonstrate that our framework achieves robust interactive whole-body control, successfully transferring diverse behaviors such as hugging and dancing from simulation to reality.