Visitors check out a humanoid robot of Chinese tech startup Unitree Robotics during an expo in Beijing in April. (Photo provided to China Daily) In a market accustomed to eye-catching innovations from the likes of Tesla's Optimus and Boston Dynamics' Atlas, the global humanoid robotics industry was recently wowed by a new product from Chinese startup Unitree Robotics. Its surprisingly low price is what sets it apart: 99,000 yuan ($13,700) for its latest G1 humanoid robot. While many robots from other companies are priced from 150,000 to 200,000 yuan, or even into the millions, Unitree Robotics is positioning itself as a very strong competitor in terms of both price and performance, the company said. Last year, Elon Musk suggested that the price of Tesla's Optimus would be around $20,000, claiming that only at this price point could such robots achieve widespread use in the real world. Jensen Huang, CEO of US chip giant Nvidia, recently said in an interview that the future cost of humanoid robots could range between $10,000 and $20,000. According to Unitree Robotics, G1 is about 127 centimeters tall and boasts impressive stability and flexibility, such as 180-degree body rotation and the ability to crack walnuts "barehanded". Despite its smaller size compared to Unitree H1 â a 1.8-meter, 47-kilogram laser-radar-equipped humanoid the company unveiled last year â the G1 is also equipped with advanced technologies, including LiDAR, depth cameras and dexterous hands. Driven by the self-developed large language model UnifoLM, G1 possesses powerful motor capabilities and intelligent learning abilities, allowing for precise object manipulation, Unitree Robotics said. The story behind Unitree Robotics' ability to offer such low prices traces back to its years of experience in developing quadruped robots and its self-developed electric drive technology. "The core components of the G1 joint unit, including the servo motor, reducer and controller, are all independently developed and produced by Unitree," said Wang Qixin, who is in charge of marketing at Unitree Robotics. The development of the G1 took about three months from project initiation to launch â half the time it took to develop the H1 â primarily due to Unitree Robotics' self-developed technology. However, Wang also acknowledged that the reduced size contributed to the lower price. Driven by technological advancements in AI, humanoid robots like Unitree G1 are the hottest topic in the intelligent robotics industry today amid a growing number of Chinese companies that are scrambling to establish a beachhead in the emerging sector. Humanoid robots made at Engineered Arts factory
Description: The Future of Humanoid Robots Powered by AGI Unlocking Fully Autonomous Human-Like Robots for Industry, Healthcare, and Society Discover how AGI is shaping the ...
Description: Just a drone or a humanoid robot for delivering packages? Are we ready for it? Could it lead to trial failures? Can we prove it won’t harm people? If not, the...
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Are humanoid robots the most effective robots we can build?
Description: Many of the most successful and widely adopted robotics programs in manufacturing aren’t humanoid; they’re purpose built for specific tasks and deliver practical value.
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ByNatan Linder, Contributor. We’re already living in a post-humanoid era, with billions being poured into embodied, humanoid robotics right now. According to a 2024 Goldman Sachs report, the market for humanoid robots is projected to reach $38 billion by 2035 and Morgan Stanley anticipates $5 trillion by 2050. From the World Humanoid Robot Games, to Tesla’s Optimus folding laundry and Amazon’s tests of robots that hand-deliver packages, 2025 has seen an unprecedented acceleration in humanoid robotics demos; exciting and impressive, but also fueled by a lot of ‘hype.’ While these headlines are exciting, what if our obsession with humanoid robots is slowing down real progress?It’s a case of Dr. Ian Malcolm’s famous warning come to life: “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” The same applies to robotics today. Why are we so intently focused on mimicking the human form? Here’s the problem: the human form is a poor blueprint for automation. Humanoids aren’t the most effective or efficient robots we can build. Even if we solved for the challenges above, why should we limit ourselves, creatively, to the human form factor? Why two arms? Why not four arms?! Why two legs instead of wheels? Our world is built for human bodies, but that doesn’t mean our robots need to take our exact same form. Yes, our human world is built and shaped for human bodies. There is a popular fantasy of $20,000 humanoid robots being mass-produced; suddenly cheaper, owned by the masses, and capable of solving all of our biggest operational problems and (possibly more popular) our household chores.One part of the fascination with humanoid robots reflects our reality: we don’t have enough people interested in factory work. As of March 2025, there were half a million unfilled jobs in manufacturing in the U.S. alone, and the North American manufacturing workforce has declined for decades. The logic follows, if we can’t hire more people, we must build more people to fill these gaps.I also think, in part, our fascination with the humanoid form is ego-driven. As we mechanize our own lives with LLMs and chatbots, we are approaching the uncanny valley. We have entered into that twilight zone between what we know is living and what we know is mechanical – that middle ground where the ‘real’ and ‘unreal’ cross over each other and blend together. Two decades of overhyped automation has proven that robots can’t replace humans at scale. Robots aren’t standalone solutions, they’re components in a larger, interconnected production system. They require integration with workflows, data infrastructure, human supervision, and continuous maintenance. And while one robot might be manageable, scaling to a fleet across lines, shifts, and changeovers remains a complex, unsolved challenge. Robots are tools, not strategies. The real value comes from how they fit into the system around them. Nassim Nicholas Taleb says, “Missing a train is only painful if you run after it.” In other words, if we’re losing the humanoid robotics race to China, maybe we’re chasing the wrong race. If the Western world is already lagging behind China in the global humanoid robotics race, why don’t we modify the ‘rules’ of the game to put us back on track?I think our advantage has always been, and will continue to be: ingenuity. Take a moment to consider the word “engineer”: not as a job title, but in its etymology. It comes from the Latin ingenium—meaning ‘innate talent,’‘clever invention,’ and ‘ingenuity’. At its core, engineering isn’t meant to be rigid execution—it’s about applying human creativity to solve our problems. It’s our human ability to think innovatively, quickly problem-solve, and shift direction without losing momentum.Innovation naturally emerges when people tackle challenging problems in interesting ways. Google, for example, was founded as a digital replacement for the Dewey Decimal system, and now it delivers global access to information in milliseconds. Most innovations aren’t instant breakthroughs; they don’t involve big leaps, but thousands of incremental steps. From an engineering standpoint, humanoid robots don’t yet make practical sense for most businesses. If we’re chasing after sci-fi prototypes and geopolitical milestones, we might be missing that layer of human ingenuity; what could we create now that would serve the same function, but faster, more utilitarian, and energy efficient? When I look at the immediate impact of automation and robotics, I’m most impressed by the robotics companies that are focused on functionality and versatility. Robots don’t need to look human to deliver real value. Many of the most successful and widely adopted robotics programs in manufacturing aren’t humanoid at all; they’re purpose-built for specific tasks, not designed to resemble humans. These systems are succeeding not because they look like humans, but because they solve specific problems with precision and efficiency.If manufacturing jobs are simply too difficult to fully automate with humanoid robots, today’s opportunity for innovation is task automation. If we can build machines to perform tasks, not entire jobs, this can help fill the skills shortage gaps, while also improving conditions and career progression for our frontline operators and engineers.The future of robotics isn’t humanoid, it’s human-driven. The most transformative solutions will come from those who focus less on copying us, and more on complementing us.If it’s an ‘arms’ race, it’s up to us to decide what type of ‘arms’ make the most functional sense.
Rapidly growing market to clock $2.9b in sales revenue in 2024, reach around $46.31b by 2031 A young visitor scrutinizes a humanoid skin texture robot during the 2024 World Internet Conference &Light of Internet Expo in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, on Nov 19. (TIAN JIANMING/FOR CHINA DAILY) U.S. celebrity Kim Kardashian may have turned heads by taking humanoid robots shopping, but China is quietly revolutionizing the game â by not only weaving robots into daily life, but also driving their industrial applications forward by slashing costs and pushing boundaries. In short, humanoid robots are creating a sensation in China. From UBTech's agile Walker X to Xiaomi's futuristic CyberOne, homegrown creations are making a splash in the market, showcasing China's capabilities by turning sci-fi dreams into "tangible tech". But it is just the beginning. More than 10 Chinese auto giants â including BYD, Chery, and Xpeng â are racing into this futuristic space. BYD, a Chinese leader in new energy vehicles, is building a cutting-edge embodied intelligence lab, focusing on laying the foundation for the next giant leap in humanoid robotics, sources told China Daily. The tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference in December also placed AI Plus initiative front and center, aiming to nurture future industries, including humanoid robots, while strengthening the nation's scientific and technological edge. Xu Xiaolan, former vice-minister of industry and information technology and a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, said humanoid robots are expected to become another "disruptive product" after computers, smartphones and new energy vehicles. "Currently in China, new technologies, products and formats represented by humanoid robots and general artificial intelligence are thriving and becoming the pinnacle of global technological innovation, a new track for future industries and a new engine of economic growth," she said. Market consultancy Coherent Market Insights has forecast that China's rapidly growing humanoid robot market will clock $2.9 billion in sales revenue in 2024, and skyrocket to around $46.31 billion by 2031, at a staggering compound annual growth rate of 48.6 percent. Jiao Jichao, vice-president and executive dean of UBTech Robotics' research department, said: "If we compare the humanoid robotics industry to a marathon, China and Western countries are all within the first 1,000 meters of the starting line." Walker S, the humanoid robot developed by Chinese artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics company UBTech, was the first of its kind in China to carry out full-process handling tasks at an automotive factory. The company also signed a cooperation agreement with Audi FAW and the Beijing Embodied Intelligence Robotics Innovation Center to jointly develop intelligent solutions for humanoid robots earlier this year. The cooperation will drive humanoid robots into automotive production lines for intelligent material handling, quality inspection and process material operations. This is expected to promote large-scale deployment of humanoid robots in car factories. Jiao told China Daily that the company is confident that its humanoid robots will achieve widespread factory applications within three years. "The company aims to deliver humanoid robots in small quantities to industries, especially automobile factories, for handling and sorting tasks, by the end of this year (2024)." China ahead in humanoid robots field Humanoid robots play more roles Tech giants embracing humanoid robots
A robot draws a picture at the ongoing 2024 World Robot Conference in Beijing. (CHEN XIAOGEN/FOR CHINA DAILY) Humanoid robots are expected to usher in a new stage of growth as Chinese tech companies venture into the field to cash in on the immense market opportunities going forward, said experts and business executives. Their comments have come as humanoids took center stage at the ongoing 2024 World Robot Conference, which runs till Sunday in Beijing. According to a report released at the conference by the World Robot Cooperation Organization, humanoid robots will profoundly transform human production and lifestyle, while leading society into a new stage of intelligent development and bringing disruptive changes to various industries. In the industrial sector, humanoid robots will participate widely in hazardous production processes, significantly enhancing production efficiency and safety. They will become a crucial force in executing tasks such as scientific exploration, disaster relief and security inspections in extreme environments, as per the report. Qiao Hong, president of WRCO, said multimodal large language models, which possess the ability to generate text, images, audio and video based on given prompts, will provide humanoid robots with enhanced understanding, perception and decision-making capabilities. Chinese robotics firms are at the forefront of advancements in the development of humanoid robots, achieving significant breakthroughs in both lower and upper limb functionalities, and bolstering the application of cutting-edge robotics technology in the manufacturing sector, industry insiders said. At the conference, UBTech Robotics, a Shenzhen, Guangdong province-based robot developer, is showcasing its industrial humanoid robot, Walker S, which has been applied in car factories to carry out tasks such as intelligent sorting, intelligent quality inspection, and installation of car components. UBTech said in July that it would work with FAW-Volkswagen, one of China's earliest joint venture automakers, to develop highly intelligent and flexible production lines, as well as an unmanned car factory. The collaboration aims to integrate humanoid robots into industrial operations at FAWVolkswagen's factory in Qingdao, Shandong province, where the robots will undertake tasks such as bolt tightening, component assembly and handling automotive parts. Tan Min, chief brand officer of UBTech, said the emergence of humanoid robots will change the way people live and work, and improve production efficiency and people's quality of life. These robots, he added, will not only play a vital role in intelligent manufacturing, but could also be used in fields such as personal services, healthcare and education. China aims to build an innovation system for humanoid robots by 2025, with breakthroughs to be made in several key technologies to ensure the safe and effective supply of core components, according to a guideline unveiled by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. By 2027, the country will establish a secure and reliable industrial and supply chain system of humanoid robots, the guideline said. An industry report co-compiled by UBTech and other partners has forecast that the market size of humanoid robots in China will reach some 2.76 billion yuan ($386.7 million) this year and is expected to touch 75 billion yuan by 2029, accounting for 32.7 percent of the global total. Marina Bill, president of the International Federation of Robotics, said about 60,000 industrial robots were installed in China 10 years ago, and it has gone up to 290,000 now. "Hardly any other country in the world has had that quick a development." Bill, who is also the global head of marketing and sales and head of product line software and digital in industrial conglomerate ABB's robotics division, said China is a very important country for robotics, and the company has continuously expanded its footprint here. "Just a couple of years ago, we opened our mega factory in Shanghai where we now have a huge production of robots," Bill said, adding that the company does research and development for global products in China and will work with local suppliers in various areas. Event stresses global ties to spur robots' role Humanoid robots play more roles Tech giants embracing humanoid robots
Description: In a groundbreaking development that signals a major shift in electronics manufacturing, humanoid robots are set to become an integral part of iPhone production...
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Unitree’s new H2 brings “streamlined elegance” to humanoid robotics
Description: Priced just under USD 30,000, Unitree’s H2 reflects a maturing humanoid robotics market where accessibility may determine the winner.
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Written by T. K. Lin Published on 27 Oct 2025 2 mins read Unitree Robotics has unveiled its latest humanoid robot, the H2, a full-sized bipedal machine priced at USD 29,900. The model combines industrial-grade engineering with a refined exterior design that the company describes on its website as “streamlined elegance.” The launch marks a shift in Unitree’s design language. The H2’s head has been reshaped to appear more humanlike, with smoother contours and a bionic facial structure integrated with a dual-eye camera system for stereo vision. According to the company, this redesign aims to balance form and function, positioning humanoid robots as both approachable and efficient. Standing 1.82 meters tall and weighing about 70 kilograms, the H2 features 31 degrees of freedom: six per leg, seven per arm, and three at the waist. Each limb is powered by internal rotor PMSMs (permanent magnet synchronous motors), generating up to 120 newton-meters of torque in the arm joints and 360 newton-meters in the legs. The frame is built from aircraft-grade aluminum, titanium alloy, and high-strength engineering plastics to optimize the strength-to-weight ratio. Power comes from a lithium battery with a capacity of 15 ampere-hours, offering up to three hours of continuous operation. The H2 supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, includes voice interaction via an array microphone and speaker, and offers modular computing options ranging from Intel Core i5 and i7 processors to Nvidia’s Jetson AGX Thor, which delivers up to 2070 TOPS (tera operations per second) of artificial intelligence compute. A variant, the H2 EDU, targets research and academic users. It supports secondary development, customizable compute modules, and includes a 12-month warranty, compared with eight months for the standard version. Beyond its technical profile, the H2 reflects Unitree’s effort to redefine its robotics aesthetic. The company’s “streamlined elegance” initiative emphasizes smoother and more humanlike exteriors, mirroring a broader industry trend to humanize robots designed for social or domestic settings. Whether consumers will favor humanlike designs or prefer more mechanical forms, however, remains uncertain as humanoid robots gradually approach commercial viability. At under USD 30,000, the H2 is among the most affordable humanoid robots on the market, significantly undercutting models from both domestic and international peers. The pricing aligns with Unitree’s broader strategy of accessibility, which has helped it capture an estimated 60% share of the global quadruped robot market through models such as the Go2. Competition, however, is intensifying. In China, Noetix Robotics recently introduced Bumi, a smaller humanoid robot with limited mobility but a lower price of RMB 9,998 (USD 1,400), about one-third the cost of the H2. The expanding range of models underscores how developers are racing to define the next mass market robotics platform—one that combines dexterity, safety, and a design suited to coexist in human environments. Loading... Subscribe to our newsletters KrASIA A digital media company reporting on China's tech and business pulse.
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China Warns of Humanoid Robot Bubble: Could the Global Robotics …
Description: China cautions that the humanoid robot industry may face a bubble, warning of market saturation, funding risks, and potential disruption worldwide.
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The excitement for humanoid robots has reached a fever pitch, but China warned the industry is at risk of a bubble much like the overhyped AI market. It was observed that investments in humanoid robotics from last year have surged, with firms racing to get robots into the workplace and home. However, mass production still seems far away as engineers overcome crucial design challenges: from dexterous hands to full-body control systems that can carry out real-world tasks such as lifting heavy objects or cooking. Li Chao, the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission's spokesperson, recently sounded the alarm about the humanoid robot bubble. She warned that the rapid growth in the sector for humanoid robotics may not be sustainable. She told Bloomberg: "Frontier industries have long grappled with the challenge of balancing the speed of growth against the risk of bubbles — an issue now confronting the humanoid robot sector as well." If a bubble does burst, the consequences could be felt across the global market. Funding might shrink, smaller firms could be merged into larger players or fail, and the roll-out of affordable humanoid robots might slow dramatically. More than 150 companies in China are making humanoid robots. Li said the flood of "highly similar" robot models could saturate the market, narrowing opportunities for truly innovative companies to emerge and dampening research and development. According to Digital Trends, a correction in China's robotics market could temporarily benefit U.S.-based companies as reduced competition and access to cheaper components and talent create new opportunities. However, any advantage may be short-lived as Chinese firms restructure and consolidate, continuing to invest in innovation. This could also make investors more careful about funding new startups in the humanoid robotics space. Companies that hope to enter or expand in this sector will have to demonstrate strong technological differentiation to attract capital. There's no doubt that someday, robotics can even overtake what humans can do. It's evident in their capability. For instance, robot chefs are now taking over Beijing. The future of the food service is futuristic, but we haven't seen the more serious implications of it today. Even Tesla's Optimus robot can spar with you. It can kick and punch like a human kung fu fighter. Originally published on Tech Times
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EconoScope | China leads in humanoid robot sports, powers robotics …
(ECNS) -- From marathons to boxing and football, humanoid robot sports have surged in popularity this year, with China emerging as a global frontrunner and showcasing its cutting-edge robotics capabilities. During the 2025 Spring Festival, a humanoid robot performing traditional Chinese handkerchief tricks went viral online. In April, Beijing hosted the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon, where robots ran a 21-kilometer course. In May, Hangzhou witnessed the launch of the world's first humanoid robot fight. In June, public attention shifted to robot football, or the RoBoLeague Robot Football Tournament, where humanoid robots competed in team matches. These sporting events demand high-level coordination and movement. Boxing requires precise footwork; football depends on balance, speed, and synchronized limb control. Each event reflects rapid advances in motion control algorithms and hardware design. The RoBoLeague tournament also demonstrated a major shift: the robots were no longer remotely operated. Instead, they relied on vision systems and pre-programmed AI strategies to analyze the game in real time and respond dynamically, a leap forward in autonomy. "Compared with remote-controlled sports or pre-set movements, AI-powered football â driven by autonomous decision-making, visual sensors, and multimodal algorithms â is the most promising format for scaling into everyday applications," said Cheng Hao, executive director of the tournament's organizing committee. In the foreseeable future, robots are expected to participate in an increasing number of athletic competitions. This August, the World Humanoid Robot Games will be held in Beijing, featuring 19 events including sprinting, football, long jump, and freestyle gymnastics. Cheng believes that competitive events serve as the best training ground, providing a fast track for advancing algorithms and hardware technologies as well as making technological progress more transparent and visible to the public. He adds that the competitive economy will be a major driving force behind the development of humanoid robotics over the next decade. This year's Chinese government work report mentioned embodied intelligence and intelligent robots for the first time, signaling a strategic push to accelerate development in advanced robotics. According to industry forecasts, China's embodied intelligence market could surpass 1 trillion yuan (about $139.52 billion) by 2031. With strong innovation capabilities and a comprehensive industrial system, China's robotics industry firmly stands in the top global tier. As of July 2024, China boasted more than 190,000 effective robot-related patents, accounting for about two-thirds of the global total according to Xin Guobin, vice minister of Industry and Information Technology, who told the 2024 World Robot Conference in Beijing that China has remained the world's largest market for industrial robots for an 11th consecutive year. Humanoid robots may be grabbing headlines on the sports field today, but experts say their true potential lies off the track â in homes, factories, and service industries. "In the future, humanoid robots will work autonomously and handle generalized tasks," said Wang, founder of robotics firm Galbot. "This is just the beginning of their role as true productivity tools." (By Gong Weiwei) English majors face uncertain future as AI replaces basic skills Can AI be a lifeline for legacy manufacturers? Impostor uses AI to impersonate Rubio and contact foreign and U.S. officials Experts sharpen focus on new frontiers of AI
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Beijing flags humanoid robotics bubble risk as hype intensifies
Description: While China positions humanoid robotics as a future growth engine, officials now fear the market may be overheating.
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From daily news and career tips to monthly insights on AI, sustainability, software, and more—pick what matters and get it in your inbox. Access expert insights, exclusive content, and a deeper dive into engineering and innovation. Engineering-inspired textiles, mugs, hats, and thoughtful gifts We connect top engineering talent with the world's most innovative companies. We empower professionals with advanced engineering and tech education to grow careers. We recognize outstanding achievements in engineering, innovation, and technology. All Rights Reserved, IE Media, Inc. Follow Us On Access expert insights, exclusive content, and a deeper dive into engineering and innovation. Engineering-inspired textiles, mugs, hats, and thoughtful gifts We connect top engineering talent with the world's most innovative companies We empower professionals with advanced engineering and tech education to grow careers. We recognize outstanding achievements in engineering, innovation, and technology. All Rights Reserved, IE Media, Inc. With more than 150 companies racing to build robots, Beijing wants guardrails to prevent duplication and protect long-term innovation. China is racing to lead the future of humanoid robotics, but its top economic planner is now signalling caution. The country’s rapid surge in investment, companies, and prototypes has fueled excitement, yet regulators worry the momentum could outpace reality. Speaking in Beijing on Thursday, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) spokesperson Li Chao urged the industry to grow responsibly. She warned that humanoid robotics must balance fast development with the risk of overheating. Investment has poured into the sector despite limited proven use cases in factories or homes. Li said more than 150 companies in China are now working on humanoid robotics. Over half are either new startups or firms pivoting from other sectors. She cautioned that the rush could lead to repetitive products and stagnation. According to her, “Frontier industries have long grappled with the challenge of balancing the speed of growth against the risk of bubbles — an issue now confronting the humanoid robot sector as well.” The remarks stand out because Beijing has previously positioned embodied intelligence, the technology powering humanoid robots, as a core strategic priority. It is one of six industries listed by the Communist Party as a future driver of economic growth as the country shapes its development roadmap to 2030. The pace of growth has been rapid. In the last two years, major Chinese trade fairs have showcased multiple prototype humanoid robots, often capable of walking, manipulating objects, and performing basic assistance tasks. Many companies have also begun demonstrating robots designed for warehouse logistics, simple production line handling, and customer service roles. Investors and analysts see these demonstrations as proof that the sector is maturing, even if most deployments remain pilots rather than large-scale contracts. Investor interest remains strong. Citigroup expects “exponential” growth in robot production next year as more Chinese firms scale up manufacturing, Bloomberg reported. Corporations are reporting early traction. UBTech, one of the more high-profile players, has announced orders worth more than one billion yuan. Market performance reflects the enthusiasm. The Solactive China Humanoid Robotics Index, which tracks companies in the space, has jumped about 26 percent this year. But despite the confidence, actual adoption is limited. Real-world deployment in factories and consumer environments is still rare, and the timeline for mainstream use remains unclear. Li said authorities will work to prevent a wave of “highly similar” products and protect room for innovation. Regulators plan to improve rules for entry and exit, create more competitive conditions, and support essential research areas. She added that the government will strengthen resources for testing and training facilities and encourage companies to consolidate knowledge and technology. The message is clear – China wants the sector to flourish, but not at the cost of stability. Aamir is a seasoned tech journalist with experience at Exhibit Magazine, Republic World, and PR Newswire. With a deep love for all things tech and science, he has spent years decoding the latest innovations and exploring how they shape industries, lifestyles, and the future of humanity. Premium Follow
Description: Humanoid robotics is entering a new era. Advances in AI, mobility, and automation are fueling rapid development of human-like machines designed to transform labor, logistics, and manufacturing — attracting growing
Description: China’s top economic-planning agency has warned over the risk of a bubble forming in humanoid robotics, in a rare official expression of concern about the booming sector. “Frontier industries have long grappled with the challenge of balancing the speed of growth against the risk of bubbles — an issue now confronting the humanoid robot sector as well,” Li Chao, spokeswoman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said.
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China’s top economic-planning agency has warned over the risk of a bubble forming in humanoid robotics, in a rare official expression of concern about the booming sector. “Frontier industries have long grappled with the challenge of balancing the speed of growth against the risk of bubbles — an issue now confronting the humanoid robot sector as well,” Li Chao, spokeswoman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a briefing in Beijing on Thursday. More than 150 makers of humanoid robots are operating in China and their number is still rising, Li said. The country must prevent a flood of “highly similar” models from overwhelming the market and squeezing out space for research and development, she said. The call for vigilance reflects Beijing’s unease over excess investment flooding into a sector it bills as one of the biggest catalysts for the economy in the years ahead. Humanoid robotics is one of the six industries named by the ruling Communist Party as new economic growth drivers for the future in its guidelines for drafting China’s development plan in the five years though 2030. Citigroup Inc. expects to see “exponential” growth in production next year from China’s humanoid robot makers. But although companies like UBTech report receiving orders worth over a billions yuan, widespread adoption of humanoid robots by households or factories has yet to materialize. The spotlight of attention has fueled investor interest in the sector, sending the Solactive China Humanoid Robotics Index — which tracks the shares of Chinese humanoid robotics-related companies — up by about 26% this year. The authorities will speed up efforts to build mechanisms for market entry and exit to create an environment of fair competition, Li said at the briefing. Among the areas of their focus will be accelerating research and development of core technologies and supporting the construction of training and testing infrastructure, she added. The government will also promote the consolidation and sharing of technology and industrial resources in the sector across the nation, in an attempt to expedite the application of humanoid robots in real life, she said.
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President Trump approved exports of Nvidia’s H200 AI chips to approved Chinese customers in exchange for a 25% U.S. surcharge, a move with major market and national‑security consequences. Markets tread cautiously ahead of the Fed: S&P 500 and Dow held near flat while the Nasdaq lagged as AI names wobbled. Bond yields jumped after mixed jobs data, boosting the dollar and pressuring rate‑sensitive sectors. Key catalysts are the Fed decision, Nvidia policy headlines, and volatile crypto moves that are keeping volatility elevated. Trump’s surprise reversal opens the door for advanced Nvidia H200 AI chips to flow to China while U.S. enforcement scrambles to stop illegal exports. The policy shift has market and national-security implications as prosecutors pursue smuggling networks tied to chip rerouting. 25% - Proposed U.S. surcharge on Nvidia H200 chip sales to China. Chinese authorities are preparing curbs on H200 availability even after Washington approved limited exports, signalling Beijing will control domestic access. The tug-of-war raises questions about how much practical benefit U.S. approvals will deliver to Chinese AI firms. Brussels opened a formal antitrust probe into Google’s use of online content to train AI, expanding pressure on Big Tech across the continent. Regulators are investigating whether unpaid content use and AI summaries harm publishers and competitors. CVS Health lifted full‑year 2025 guidance and outlined AI upgrades and revenue targets that propelled the stock higher, signalling durable operational improvement. More on wsj.com A bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery heated up as Paramount launched a hostile takeover just days after Netflix struck a deal for parts of the company. The contest threatens to redraw streaming power and invites intense regulatory and political scrutiny. The Supreme Court appears poised to expand presidential removal power, a move that would weaken independent agency protections. Oral arguments suggest a major shift in separation-of-powers precedent is possible. Lucid shares plunged further after a major analyst cut estimates, highlighting persistent demand and profitability challenges in the EV sector. More on benzinga.com A sharply divided Federal Reserve meets amid widespread expectations of a rate cut, but policymakers may signal a pause to follow. Investors are bracing for nuanced guidance that could reshape 2026 rate bets and market positioning. Delayed job‑openings data showed openings steady, sparking volatility in bond markets as yields jumped. Traders are reassessing growth and inflation prospects ahead of the Fed meeting. Commerce moved to allow limited H200 exports to approved Chinese buyers with a proposed 25% U.S. cut; the EU opened new antitrust probes into Big Tech AI training practices; federal courts struck down an executive ban on wind‑project permits. Bitcoin popped into the mid‑90k range ahead of a widely anticipated Fed move, underscoring crypto’s sensitivity to macro catalysts. Traders remain cautious about the durability of gains as policy shifts loom. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated he will not cede territory to Russia, rejecting U.S. pressure to compromise and rallying European support. The firm stance complicates diplomatic efforts and the U.S.-crafted peace framework. Inflation is there and maybe not going down. — Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase CEO Tensions in East Asia escalated after incidents involving Chinese military activity and dangerous radar locks. Regional partners are stepping up deployments and defence projects amid concerns over Beijing’s behaviour. Microsoft unveiled a major push into India and Canada with multibillion-dollar AI and cloud investments to capture fast‑growing demand. The spending ramps up the race among hyperscalers to dominate global AI infrastructure. IBM’s planned acquisition of Confluent marks a big strategic bet on real‑time data streaming to power AI workloads. Investors rewarded the deal with a sharp move in both stocks. Exxon raised its 2030 cash‑flow outlook and shares jumped, even as the company cuts planned low‑carbon investment by a third. The moves underline oil majors’ repositioning as they balance returns with energy transition commitments. Brookfield and Qatar announced a $20 billion joint venture to build AI infrastructure, signaling sovereign wealth’s deepening role in hyperscaler supply chains. The deal underscores Gulf capital’s appetite to fund large-scale datacenter and GPU projects. Air Transat cancelled and suspended flights as pilot strike deadlines loomed, disrupting travel ahead of the holiday season. The airline set contingency measures to repatriate passengers while talks continue. Federal courts struck down parts of the administration’s wind‑energy restrictions, a significant legal defeat for the White House’s environmental policy. Judges ruled the executive action unlawful, restoring momentum for renewable projects. U.S. prosecutors continue an aggressive enforcement push against attempted Nvidia chip smuggling even as export rules shift. Recent detentions and charges underline the complexity of policing high‑value tech flows. The White House unveiled a multibillion farm aid package to blunt damage from tariff-driven trade shocks while signalling tougher trade measures ahead. The move highlights political pressure to shield vulnerable sectors from policy fallout. 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China Humanoid Robotics Index Jumps After Unitree Debuts "Stellar Hunter" …
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Update (ET): The Solactive China Humanoid Robotics Index - a thematic equity index tracking Chinese companies involved in the commercialization of humanoid and robotics technologies - jumped more than 4% on Wednesday after Chinese robotics firm Unitree released a stunning video of its new robot dog. "The main trigger for today's robotic stocks is Unitree's new robot dog. The real application for robot dogs is actually broader than humanoid robots, and they are lighter and easier to enter the market," Fu Zhifeng, chief investment officer at Shanghai Chengzhou Investment Management, wrote in a note to clients. The video and more color about the new robot are below... * * * Chinese robotics firm Unitree, arguably the global leader in affordable consumer-grade quadrupeds and robodogs, has just released footage of its latest machine: the "A2 Stellar Hunter." The new robodog brings flashbacks to Black Mirror's infamous 2017 episode "Metalhead," where killer robot dogs stalk and exterminate humans in a post-apocalyptic world. Overview and specs of the A2 Stellar Hunter: Total weight: ~37kg Unloaded range: ~20km Lighter, Stronger and Faster. Engineered for Industrial Applications. Unitree's robot timeline: Laikago (2017): early public quadruped robot. AlienGo (2019): more advanced and cable‑free version. A1 (2021): education-focused, affordable robot dog (~3.3 m/s top speed). Go1, Go2, and industrial-grade B1/B2, including wheeled variants like Go2-W and B2-W. G1 humanoid robot (2024): ~35 kg, 23–43 joints, priced at ~$16,000. H1 humanoid robot: full-sized with advanced mobility and sensors. R1 humanoid companion (2025): ~$5,900 with acrobatic capability (cartwheels, punches, running) and multimodal Unitree claims it now produces roughly 60% of the world's quadruped robots, leaving U.S. rivals like Boston Dynamics in the dust. With Tesla's humanoid bots expected to scale in the coming years, American consumers may finally get a competitive, homegrown alternative to China's robotics dominance. Unitree Introducing | Unitree A2 Stellar Hunter 🤩 Total weight: ~37kg | Unloaded range: ~20km Lighter, Stronger and Faster. Engineered for Industrial Applications. pic.twitter.com/Rqpa7EkU0B As we've previously pointed out, the "iPhone moment" for robotics is fast approaching, and it's only a matter of time before these machines, infused with large language models, become highly intelligent and potentially weaponized by bad actors. Our coverage focuses on a 'Skynet-like system' materializing in the years ahead: Goldman's Investing Guide To Skynet "Here Come Humanoids": Morgan Stanley Braces For The Looming Phase Shift in AI There's An iPhone Moment Happening With Humanoids "iPhone Moment" Nears For Humanoid Robots China Warns of Rogue Robot Troops Unleashing Terminator-Style "Indiscriminate Killings" . . . Assistance and Requests: Contact Us Tips: tips@zerohedge.com General: info@zerohedge.com Legal: legal@zerohedge.com Advertising: Contact Us Abuse/Complaints: abuse@zerohedge.com Make sure to read our "How To [Read/Tip Off] Zero Hedge Without Attracting The Interest Of [Human Resources/The Treasury/Black Helicopters]" Guide It would be very wise of you to study our privacy policy and our (non)policy on conflicts / full disclosure.Here's our Cookie Policy. How to report offensive comments Notice on Racial Discrimination.
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Tether Invests in Italian Robotics Startup Generative Bionics Amid Humanoid …
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President Trump approved exports of Nvidia’s H200 AI chips to approved Chinese customers in exchange for a 25% U.S. surcharge, a move with major market and national‑security consequences. Markets tread cautiously ahead of the Fed: S&P 500 and Dow held near flat while the Nasdaq lagged as AI names wobbled. Bond yields jumped after mixed jobs data, boosting the dollar and pressuring rate‑sensitive sectors. Key catalysts are the Fed decision, Nvidia policy headlines, and volatile crypto moves that are keeping volatility elevated. Trump’s surprise reversal opens the door for advanced Nvidia H200 AI chips to flow to China while U.S. enforcement scrambles to stop illegal exports. The policy shift has market and national-security implications as prosecutors pursue smuggling networks tied to chip rerouting. 25% - Proposed U.S. surcharge on Nvidia H200 chip sales to China. Chinese authorities are preparing curbs on H200 availability even after Washington approved limited exports, signalling Beijing will control domestic access. The tug-of-war raises questions about how much practical benefit U.S. approvals will deliver to Chinese AI firms. Brussels opened a formal antitrust probe into Google’s use of online content to train AI, expanding pressure on Big Tech across the continent. Regulators are investigating whether unpaid content use and AI summaries harm publishers and competitors. CVS Health lifted full‑year 2025 guidance and outlined AI upgrades and revenue targets that propelled the stock higher, signalling durable operational improvement. More on wsj.com A bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery heated up as Paramount launched a hostile takeover just days after Netflix struck a deal for parts of the company. The contest threatens to redraw streaming power and invites intense regulatory and political scrutiny. The Supreme Court appears poised to expand presidential removal power, a move that would weaken independent agency protections. Oral arguments suggest a major shift in separation-of-powers precedent is possible. Lucid shares plunged further after a major analyst cut estimates, highlighting persistent demand and profitability challenges in the EV sector. More on benzinga.com A sharply divided Federal Reserve meets amid widespread expectations of a rate cut, but policymakers may signal a pause to follow. Investors are bracing for nuanced guidance that could reshape 2026 rate bets and market positioning. Delayed job‑openings data showed openings steady, sparking volatility in bond markets as yields jumped. Traders are reassessing growth and inflation prospects ahead of the Fed meeting. Commerce moved to allow limited H200 exports to approved Chinese buyers with a proposed 25% U.S. cut; the EU opened new antitrust probes into Big Tech AI training practices; federal courts struck down an executive ban on wind‑project permits. Bitcoin popped into the mid‑90k range ahead of a widely anticipated Fed move, underscoring crypto’s sensitivity to macro catalysts. Traders remain cautious about the durability of gains as policy shifts loom. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated he will not cede territory to Russia, rejecting U.S. pressure to compromise and rallying European support. The firm stance complicates diplomatic efforts and the U.S.-crafted peace framework. Inflation is there and maybe not going down. — Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase CEO Tensions in East Asia escalated after incidents involving Chinese military activity and dangerous radar locks. Regional partners are stepping up deployments and defence projects amid concerns over Beijing’s behaviour. Microsoft unveiled a major push into India and Canada with multibillion-dollar AI and cloud investments to capture fast‑growing demand. The spending ramps up the race among hyperscalers to dominate global AI infrastructure. IBM’s planned acquisition of Confluent marks a big strategic bet on real‑time data streaming to power AI workloads. Investors rewarded the deal with a sharp move in both stocks. Exxon raised its 2030 cash‑flow outlook and shares jumped, even as the company cuts planned low‑carbon investment by a third. The moves underline oil majors’ repositioning as they balance returns with energy transition commitments. Brookfield and Qatar announced a $20 billion joint venture to build AI infrastructure, signaling sovereign wealth’s deepening role in hyperscaler supply chains. The deal underscores Gulf capital’s appetite to fund large-scale datacenter and GPU projects. Air Transat cancelled and suspended flights as pilot strike deadlines loomed, disrupting travel ahead of the holiday season. The airline set contingency measures to repatriate passengers while talks continue. Federal courts struck down parts of the administration’s wind‑energy restrictions, a significant legal defeat for the White House’s environmental policy. Judges ruled the executive action unlawful, restoring momentum for renewable projects. U.S. prosecutors continue an aggressive enforcement push against attempted Nvidia chip smuggling even as export rules shift. Recent detentions and charges underline the complexity of policing high‑value tech flows. The White House unveiled a multibillion farm aid package to blunt damage from tariff-driven trade shocks while signalling tougher trade measures ahead. The move highlights political pressure to shield vulnerable sectors from policy fallout. 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Advisers foresee Shanghai as humanoid robotics hub
Humanoid robots line up to greet visitors at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 7. (CHEN YUYU/FOR CHINA DAILY) Political advisers in Shanghai have suggested advancing the industrialization of humanoid robotics in the city, leveraging its strengths in artificial intelligence and robotics. They said Shanghai is well-positioned to lead the large-scale application of humanoid robots in China. Addressing the current challenges the industry is facing in the metropolis, including a lack of core components and reliance on imported key functional parts, members of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference proposed nurturing a high-end industrial chain and supporting collaboration among industry, academia and research institutions to achieve joint technological breakthroughs. The advisers submitted proposals related to the humanoid robotics industry during the ongoing annual sessions of the city's legislative and political advisory bodies, which will run through Saturday. Industry insiders have highlighted the potential significance of humanoid robots in various sectors, including manufacturing, hazardous environments, healthcare, elderly care services and underwater scientific research. For instance, in industrial settings, such robots could enhance work efficiency, particularly in enterprises requiring repetitive tasks with high precision. The robots could function as a tool for doctors in performing precision surgeries, and key parts such as robotic arms could serve as prosthetics, enabling individuals with disabilities to return to normal life and work. In October 2023, Shanghai set a goal to establish itself as a globally influential hub for robotics innovation. The initiative includes creating 10 top-tier robot brands, showcasing 100 bench mark scenarios for robot applications and expanding the value of related industries to 100 billion yuan ($13.63 billion) in the coming years. Political advisers from the Shanghai Federation of Industry and Commerce suggested accelerating research and development in areas such as motors, drivers, sensors and main controller chips for humanoid robots. Another proposal, submitted by advisers from the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology, emphasized the need to bridge gaps in precision, life span and reliability between domestic products and their overseas counterparts. "Local research has made certain advances in motion control processing, environmental perception and decision-making algorithms for human-computer interaction, but further progress is needed to meet diverse needs. Additionally, the intelligence level of machine vision learning models requires improvement," the advisers wrote in a collective proposal. They also recommended that multiple enterprises share resources and establish a data bank containing information on robot actions and knowledge. By building a joint computing power center and developing multimodal large models, enterprises could reduce R&D costs, they suggested. A joint proposal by 12 political advisers highlighted the importance of verifying the characteristics, feasibility and economic value of humanoid robots in various scenarios and creating a detailed list of areas where such robots could have a significant impact. Enterprises could then develop their core technologies accordingly. The advisers outlined a commercialization path for humanoid robots, starting with niche applications and gradually expanding to mass markets. "After being deployed in specific application scenarios, the robots can transition to semi-open environments such as warehousing, retail and catering, performing semi-automated tasks like carrying and distributing items," said Zhang Jianhua, one of the political advisers involved in drafting the proposal. "For the next phase, the robots will be promoted to provide services such as housekeeping support and health management in settings like homes, offices, elderly care facilities and hotels. Eventually, they will be more widely used in daily life and workplaces," said Zhang, who is also vice-president of Shanghai University.
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Humanoid robots could revolutionize robotics industry
Description: In Detroit, entrepreneur Art Cartwright’s humanoid robot went viral after it was captured on video along a busy street. The attention comes as humanoid robot companies attempt to publicize their robots as the next frontier for the robotics industry in Detroit and across the country. NBC News’ Maggie Vespa has a closer look.
Description: Roundhill Investments launches the first U.S.-listed ETF dedicated to the humanoid robotics market, labeled as HUMN. Morgan Stanley forecasts the humano
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China Issues Rare Bubble Warning Forming In Humanoid Robotics | …
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China's top economic-planning body, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), issued a rare warning earlier today about the emergence of bubble conditions in the country's humanoid robotics industry. This warning comes just as Elon Musk is planning to scale production of the Tesla Optimus robot next year. Bloomberg cites comments from NDRC spokeswoman Li Chao, who warned that more than 150 companies and startups are developing nearly identical robots, creating the risk of a classic investment bubble that could trigger a bust cycle and stifle real innovation. "Frontier industries have long grappled with the challenge of balancing the speed of growth against the risk of bubbles, an issue now confronting the humanoid robot sector as well," Li warned. Humanoid robotics has exploded in popularity since Unitree's robot dog with a flamethrower attachment. We've purchased one from an importer (minus flamethrower attachment) to see what all the excitement is about… Taking a look at the Solactive China Humanoid Robotics Index - a thematic equity index tracking Chinese companies involved in the commercialization of humanoid and robotics technologies - is up 28.5% year to date and doubled from 2024 lows. Related: Goldman Finds "Inflection Point" With Humanoid Robots; We Tested Unitree's Robodog Goldman's Chat With Top Robotics Firm Reveals Skynet Humanoid Timeline China Humanoid Robotics Index Jumps After Unitree Debuts "Stellar Hunter" Latest reports: Humanoid Robot Roundup: Tesla Kicks Off Optimus Pilot Production As Goldman Tours China's Supply Chain Humanoid Robot Roundup: Auto Industry Poised To Lead First Wave Of Adoption Citi forecasts the humanoid robot industry could reach $7 trillion by 2050, although mass adoption remains a 2030s story. Assistance and Requests: Contact Us Tips: tips@zerohedge.com General: info@zerohedge.com Legal: legal@zerohedge.com Advertising: Contact Us Abuse/Complaints: abuse@zerohedge.com Make sure to read our "How To [Read/Tip Off] Zero Hedge Without Attracting The Interest Of [Human Resources/The Treasury/Black Helicopters]" Guide It would be very wise of you to study our privacy policy and our (non)policy on conflicts / full disclosure.Here's our Cookie Policy. How to report offensive comments Notice on Racial Discrimination.
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The Next-Generation Screw Revolutionizing Humanoid Robotics
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Noetix Robotics Wins Two Golds and One Silver at Global …
Description: BEIJING, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Noetix Robotics, a fast-growing humanoid robotics company headquartered in Beijing, achieved outstanding results at the G...
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Humanoid Global Provides Update on Agility Robotics
Description: Money Compass is one of the credible Chinese and English financial media in Malaysia with strong influence in Malaysia’s financial industry. As the winner of the SME Award in Malaysia for 5 consecutive years, we persistently propel the financial industry towards a mutually beneficial framework. Since 2004, with the dedication to advocating the public to practice financial planning in everyday life, Money Compass has accumulated a vast connection in ASEAN financial industries and garnered government agencies and corporate resources. At present, Money Compass is adjusting its pace to transform into Money Compass 2.0. Consolidating the existing connections and network, Money Compass Integrated Media Platform is founded, which is well grounded in Malaysia whilst serving the ASEAN region. The mission of the new Money Compass Integrated Media Platform is to become the financial freedom gateway to assist internet users enhance financial intelligence, create wealth opportunities and achieve financial freedom for everyone!
Humanoids of Unitree Robotics at the World Robot Conference in Beijing in August. (CHINA DAILY) When I recently visited Unitree Robotics, a cutting-edge Chinese humanoid robot company in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, I decided to test their creation in a unique way. I volunteered for an experiment â having both the robot and myself standing side by side and pushed over, in order to see who would recover their balance more quickly. To make things even more challenging, I requested to be blindfolded, ensuring I couldn't anticipate the push. The result blew my mind. While I stumbled several steps, struggling to regain my balance, the humanoid robot barely moved, staying almost in place. The level of advancement in Chinese humanoid robotics has been far beyond what I anticipated. Earlier this month, Unitree offered an update on their engineering, showcasing their humanoid robots sauntering down a boardwalk, making their way across uneven terrain and catching up with a human jogger. The company even claimed that the latest robot was "the most agile" humanoid robot so far. Robots are often referred to as the "crown jewel of manufacturing", with humanoid robots considered the pinnacle of achievement in the field. Achieving this level of sophistication means that humanoid robots are becoming more humanlike â and, in some ways, even surpassing human abilities. This evolution holds significant implications, as humanoid robots are expected to play increasingly critical roles in areas like disaster rescue, industrial inspections and high-risk environments that are too dangerous or inaccessible for humans. More importantly, Chinese robotics makers are mass-producing them and make them cheap for common consumers. Unitree G1, priced at 99,000 yuan ($13,600), was released in May. Described as a "humanoid intelligent entity and AI avatar", the G1 is 127 centimeters tall and weighs around 35 kilograms. What sets the Unitree G1 apart is its price point. In comparison, Tesla's Optimus is projected to have a price of $25,000, making Unitree's offering significantly more cost-effective. This pricing strategy could accelerate the adoption of humanoid robots across various industries in China. According to the company, the humanoid robot, priced at 99,000 yuan, which is considered very reasonable, can simulate human hand movements with remarkable precision, making it one of the most affordable options in the market. In addition to the humanoid robots, Unitree also offers the Go2 robotic dog, starting at 9,997 yuan, along with various accessories. The Go2 series has been well-received for its versatility and affordability, making it a popular choice among tech enthusiasts. Rick Xiong, general manager of the Beijing Embodied Intelligence Robotics Innovation Center, said: "These combined efforts will shape the future in our favor. Chinese robot companies have the right timing, the right place and the right people to accelerate the humanoid robot push." Xiong said that leading Western countries have witnessed deep-pocketed industry giants dominating the robot landscape, whereas China is characterized by a proliferation of small to medium-sized enterprises striving to navigate the competitive terrain of humanoid robots. He also said that the rise of artificial intelligence large language models, exemplified by technologies like ChatGPT, has been a game-changer in the robotics industry. Advisers foresee Shanghai as humanoid robotics hub
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Humanoid Global Reports Progress on Cartwheel Robotics’ Flagship Humanoid Yogi
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Description: Matchmaking Conference - The Hubei Humanoid Robotics Industry Chain Matchmaking Conference, held during the 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in...
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Keenon Humanoid Robot Joins Hotel Workforce, Pioneering World's First General-Purpose …
Description: Money Compass is one of the credible Chinese and English financial media in Malaysia with strong influence in Malaysia’s financial industry. As the winner of the SME Award in Malaysia for 5 consecutive years, we persistently propel the financial industry towards a mutually beneficial framework. Since 2004, with the dedication to advocating the public to practice financial planning in everyday life, Money Compass has accumulated a vast connection in ASEAN financial industries and garnered government agencies and corporate resources. At present, Money Compass is adjusting its pace to transform into Money Compass 2.0. Consolidating the existing connections and network, Money Compass Integrated Media Platform is founded, which is well grounded in Malaysia whilst serving the ASEAN region. The mission of the new Money Compass Integrated Media Platform is to become the financial freedom gateway to assist internet users enhance financial intelligence, create wealth opportunities and achieve financial freedom for everyone!
Description: AGIBOT reaches its 5,000th humanoid robot milestone as China accelerates its fastest-ever leap in humanoid robotics
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Key Highlights: AGIBOT has officially rolled out its 5,000th mass-produced humanoid robot, marking a major milestone for the company and the broader robotics industry. The achievement reflects years of work in solving key challenges related to robot stability, reliability, and durability. According to Mr. Zhihui Peng, Co-Founder, President, and CTO, the company remains committed to listening to industry partners and delivering practical, general-purpose robots that can be deployed across real-world scenarios. The 5,000 units include a diverse product portfolio: AGIBOTâs humanoid robots are being used commercially in eight major applications, including guided reception, exhibition services, entertainment, intelligent manufacturing, logistics sorting, security inspection, commercial cleaning, data-collection training, and scientific research. These deployments demonstrate how embodied AI can support industrial upgrades, reshape service workflows, and accelerate digital transformation across multiple sectors. The widespread adoption of AGIBOT robots also shows growing global demand for practical humanoid solutions that can integrate into existing business operations. In a separate milestone for the company, the AgiBot A2 humanoid robot has officially entered the Guinness World Records after completing a 66-mile (106 km) walk over three days. The robot began its journey in Suzhou on the evening of November 10, 2025, and arrived at Shanghaiâs Bund waterfront on November 13. The route covered highways, city streets, and various terrains, with the robot following traffic rules throughout the trek. Standing 5 feet 6 inches tall, the A2 model is designed for customer service roles and is equipped with chat interaction features and advanced lip-reading technology. Videos of the walk show the robot navigating alongside cyclists, scooters, and busy urban environments. Chinaâs rapid expansion in humanoid robotics is being driven by major government deployments, rising investment, and growing adoption across non-tech industries. Large contracts are putting humanoid robots to work in border control, logistics, and public-service roles, while new funding is accelerating robots with advanced sensing for delicate, human-like tasks. Automakers are entering the field with plans for prototypes and in-vehicle robots, signaling that robotics is becoming a core industrial priority. National tech fairs are drawing big crowds with agile, performance-ready humanoids, reflecting expanding commercial and consumer interest. With production costs falling and manufacturers preparing massive output increases, China is shifting from experimental showcases to true large-scale deployment, positioning itself as the fastest-moving force in the global humanoid robotics race. Read More: (via)
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Shenzhen-based firm to supply humanoid robots in US$37M deal for …
Shenzhen-based firm to supply humanoid robots in US$37M deal for border management, logistics, and factory patrol trials with testing centre near China's border with Vietnam - Singapore News
Description: Figure AI represents a leap forward in robotic conversation, powered by advancements in GPT technology from OpenAI. This robot has shown remarkable progress, de...
Description: In mid-August 2025, at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, built for the 2022 Winter Olympics, 280 teams from 16 countries gathered to see who could con...
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Robotics Revolution: TSLA Leads the Charge with Humanoid Innovations
Description: After its showcase at the World Humanoid Robot Games, Unix AI has been fielding calls from customers eager to adopt its Wanda robots.
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Written by 36Kr English Published on 15 Sep 2025 7 mins read Since the end of the World Humanoid Robot Games, Unix AI’s customer hotline has been ringing nonstop. “In the second week after the competition, more than a dozen hotel clients came to visit us,” said Yang Fengyu, founder and CEO of Unix AI. Earlier in August, Unix AI won two gold medals and one silver in the hotel cleaning and guest reception categories of the international event. That success quickly drew the attention of hotels, retirement homes, and other operators exploring service robotics. Both competitions tested robots on generalization, dexterity, and speed. The cleaning task required collecting scattered items in a room as quickly as possible. The reception task involved taking a guest’s suitcase and delivering it to a designated endpoint. Unix AI’s strong performance reflected accumulated experience. Its robots were already deployed in “quasi-consumer” cleaning scenarios, particularly in hotels, where they learned on the job while gathering data. In hotel rooms, they clean, tidy, and remove trash. While still slower than human staff, the relatively high tolerance for error in these settings allows them to work behind closed doors at their own pace, Yang said. He believes the skills honed in such environments will eventually transfer to households, restaurants, cafes, and even fast-food outlets. The company is already in the early stages of small-scale deliveries, with contracts signed with hotel groups, property managers, and retirement communities. Unlike other robotics startups, Unix AI has not pursued the increasingly popular end-to-end VLA (vision-language-action) approach, citing limited training data. Instead, it breaks down tasks into key points and trajectories, then applies imitation learning. With only a small number of demonstrations, its robots can master new movements. Once deployed in real-world settings, they continue to refine themselves through a self-reinforcing data flywheel. Yang, born in 2000, studied computer science at the University of Michigan and later began a PhD in the same field at Yale University before pausing his studies in 2024 to establish Unix AI. “Over the past two decades, hardware has been dominated by Chinese companies,” Yang said. “With China’s supply chain and market advantages, I saw an opening.” During his conversation with 36Kr, Yang also shared updates on the company’s yet-to-be-released third generation of its humanoid robot, Wanda. The following transcript has been edited and consolidated for brevity and clarity. Yang Fengyu (YF): As soon as the competition ended, our hotline was flooded. In the second week alone, more than ten hotel clients visited our facilities. Although our work-oriented events didn’t draw much attention onsite—we didn’t even make it onto the big screen—the results generated interest among potential clients. The preparation also improved our robots’ capabilities. For example, the reception event required robots to lift a suitcase onto a luggage cart and then push it to a designated spot. The challenge was that the pulling direction didn’t always align with the robot’s forward motion, creating multiple hardware issues. We spent more than a month iterating on hardware before the task was removed, but the process made our robots stronger. YF: Hotel cleaning is what we consider a “quasi-consumer” skill. Once robots master cleaning, tidying, and trash collection in hotels, those atomic actions can be transferred to homes, restaurants, or retirement facilities. Hotels also generate valuable data. Unlike industrial sites, which restrict access for confidentiality reasons, hotels allow us to feed cleaning data back into our models. They also offer higher tolerance for mistakes, since robots often work behind closed doors with less human interaction risk. YF: Exactly. The cleaning competition simulated a hotel room where robots had to pick up scattered bottles and boxes, which our robots already handled well. They can also take on more complex tasks, such as removing trash bags, making beds, or cleaning bathrooms. YF: We’re taking reference from Tesla. First, deploy enough robots in real-world scenarios. Then use a data flywheel to build scale. This lowers the training threshold. We don’t even need algorithm engineers. Deployment engineers can manage it. Just as scaling laws in large language models show how data quantity drives breakthroughs, I believe embodied intelligence can achieve the same. But it depends on how you scale. Data diversity is more important than volume. I’d rather have one billion naturally distributed data points than a curated handful. The only way to gather natural data is through real-world deployment, not staged collection. Scale is equally critical. In multimodal AI, training requires data in the billions. In autonomous driving, even with clean data, you need at least hundreds of thousands of cars to approach Level 4 performance. Robotics will need a comparable scale. Without tens of thousands of robots in the field, you can’t build a robust model. YF: Closing a door is inherently difficult as it involves hinges, body angles, and handle manipulation. At the venue, we discovered the door was a meter wide, larger than the 75–80 centimeters we had trained for, which broke our dual-arm closing strategy. That night, we used virtual reality (VR) equipment to capture new data and retrained the skill. The next morning, we were first up, with no chance for further adjustments. Fortunately, we succeeded. Our imitation learning platform, UniFlex, was crucial. It can learn a new task from just five to ten demonstrations. YF: It’s a perception-operation decoupled model based on key-point imitation learning. We break actions into key points and motion trajectories and learn them in topological space. It’s related to approaches like DMP (dynamic movement primitives) and VMP (variational movement primitives), which are less discussed today but are seeing a resurgence with large models. With just a few demonstrations, a robot can generalize to similar tasks, such as closing different doors even when the handle’s design or position changes slightly. YF: In the long run, I believe in the VLA approach. But for now, with limited robot data, end-to-end VLA isn’t practical. YF: Tactile sensing is crucial. Our UniTouch system fuses vision and tactile data to improve material recognition and contact feedback, enabling more humanlike handling. Unlike VTLA, which compresses multiple modalities into a latent vector, we integrate tactile signals directly into our key-point framework. This enables robots to “imagine” how an object should feel based solely on visual input. YF: Not yet. The challenge is balancing density, durability, and cost. A single high-precision tactile sensor for one finger costs RMB 6,000–8,000 (USD 840–1,120), wears out quickly, and makes grippers bulkier. The cost-benefit ratio isn’t there yet. YF: This year marks the beginning of mass production in robotics. Hardware stability is paramount. YF: Three reasons. First, suppliers are too slow, while in-house development gives us control. Supplier solutions also create black boxes, complicating debugging. Second, cutting out middlemen reduces costs. Instead of buying a harmonic reducer for RMB 1,000–2,000 (USD 140–280), we use our own design, which is cheaper even for an entire joint. That’s why we can price our second-generation Wanda robot at RMB 88,000 (USD 12,300) and still maintain healthy margins. Third, data consistency. If hardware isn’t made in-house, data from different robot generations may be incompatible, rendering models useless. The hardest part is supply chain stability and quality control, which we’ve been focused on all year. YF: The third generation is designed purely for work. It’s less humanlike in appearance but more powerful, with omnidirectional wheels, higher load capacity, and better height control. But the unit we showcased was still experimental. It was fresh from assembly when we sent it to the World Robot Conference and then the games. Its algorithms weren’t fully tested, but the results were promising. The second-generation Wanda is stable, already in mass production, and served as our backup. YF: Being born after 2000 doesn’t mean much to me. What matters is that young entrepreneurs in embodied intelligence aren’t bound by old ways of thinking. I come from a technical background. I write code myself, so I know what works and what doesn’t. This is a technology-driven field, and young people are the driving force. YF: I’ve always wanted to start a company. I also studied finance and business. My PhD advisor is also an entrepreneur, and he encouraged me. In academia, you often create problems to solve problems. I prefer tackling real-world issues. Over the past two decades, hardware has been dominated by Chinese companies. With China’s supply chain and market advantages, I saw an opening. YF: It’s about complementarity. A group of veterans working together will still follow veteran playbooks. We bring energy and sensitivity to the frontier of technology. The veterans bring industry experience and resources. Together, the combination creates powerful chemistry. KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This article was written by Fu Chong for 36Kr. Loading... Subscribe to our newsletters KrASIA A digital media company reporting on China's tech and business pulse.
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10 Amazing Humanoid Robots Already Walking Among Us Today
Description: Humanoid robots — long seen as futuristic — are already here, walking, talking, and working among us. Here are 10 advanced examples.
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ByBernard Marr, Contributor. Walking, talking humanoid robots that were once firmly the domain of science fiction are on their way. In fact, a Morgan Stanley report recently predicted that 13 million human robots will be among us by 2035, rising to one billion by 2050. But we probably won’t have to wait even 10 years to see one. In fact, what could be considered the first wave of truly useful, human-like machines is already here. Recent years have seen a number of prototypes and production models stepping out of the robotics labs of some of the world’s leading AI companies and into the world. In many ways, they are all very different from each other. However, they all embody the core concept of a machine that mimics our own anatomical design in order to carry out physical tasks that previously only humans could do. So in this piece, I’ll take a look at some of the advanced, useful, impressive and sometimes scary humanoid robots that are already among us today (or at least, will be soon). Manufacturer: Tesla Height: Approx 1.73 meters (5ft 8in) Weight: 57kg (125 lbs) Cost: Projected around $20,000 to $30,000 when produced at scale Probably the most famous of the current batch of humanoid robots. Most of the things Elon Musk does receive media attention, including his claim that he expects this robot to be more important to the company than its cars in the future. The Generation 2 model was announced in 2023 and is said to have successfully carried out tasks in Tesla factories. The robot is reportedly built around the same end-to-end automation framework as the cars, with different elements like motors, battery systems, AI and navigation networked in the same way. The main differentiators are its tactile hands and human-like motion. Optimus has been shown picking up eggs, dancing, serving drinks, performing household chores, and playing Rock Paper Scissors with Kim Kardashian. However, there has been criticism that some of Optimus’s actions and speech during public demonstrations appear to be assisted by humans via telepresence (remote control) rather than truly AI-driven behavior. Manufacturer: Boston Dynamics Height: Approx 1.5 meters (4ft 11in) Weight: 80kg Cost: Unknown – not commercially available This is the name currently being used for what will be the newest model in the Atlas series. Since 2013, videos of Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robots, most recently Atlas HD, have amazed and amused YouTube audiences, where it has been seen sprinting, flipping, dancing and often falling over in amusing ways. Unlike previous models, the All-New Atlas is fully electric rather than powered by hydraulics. The switch-over will make the robots lighter and more damage-resistant, with more precise control over their movements. See highlights of the previous Atlas models here and meet the All-New Atlas here. Manufacturer: 1X Technologies Height: 1.65m (5ft 3in) Weight: 30kg (66lbs) Cost: Expected price $20,000 - $30,000 Neo Gamma is a domestic robot capable of carrying out chores like vacuum cleaning, laundry folding, and loading dishwashers, according to videos released by the OpenAI-backed US/Norwegian manufacturer. Rather than being armored in hard plastic or steel, Neo Gamma’s “skin” is crafted from a cushiony nylon fabric, designed to both look more comfortable at home and enhance safety. A previous model, Neo Beta, was capable of running at 7 mph, although there’s no detail yet about how that might change with the Gamma. Its mechanical framework is built around tendon-driven actuators designed to give the humanoid a realistic range of motions and movements. And it can also engage in human-like conversations thanks to its custom LLM. You can see a promotional video created by 1X to announce the arrival of Neo Gamma here. Manufacturer: Fourier Intelligence Height: 1.75m (5ft 7in) Weight: 63kg (139lbs) Cost: Not publicly known, but previous GR-1 models were reportedly priced at $149,000 Touted as “the world’s first mass-produced humanoid robot”, GR-2’s hands are said to be twice as dexterous as those found on its predecessor, the GR-1. Currently, Fourier’s humanoids are largely used in academic and industrial settings, but trials are taking place to assess their use in domestic and caregiving settings, too. The GR-2 can walk at up to 5 mph and excels at handling objects in a tactile way, being capable of adjusting its grip in real time to suit different tasks and objects. See GR-2 in action here, and this video explores some of the ways that GR-2 has improved on GR-1. Manufacturer: Unitree Height: 1.78m (5ft 10in) Weight: 47kg (104 lbs) Cost: From $16,000 In 2024, H1 took the Guinness World Record for the fastest running speed achieved by an electric (non-hydraulic) bipedal humanoid robot, of 7.38 mph. This Chinese-designed humanoid has a 360-degree perception of its environment thanks to LiDAR sensors and is able to walk, run and perform backflips using electric actuators alone. It is built on open-source technology in order to make it accessible to a wider range of businesses with limited budgets. In one video, it’s also seen opening bottles of Coke, frying food in a pan, operating a hammer and soldering iron, and folding itself up into a package small enough to be carried. Manufacturer: Figure AI Height: Approx 1.68 meters (5ft 6in) Weight: 70kg (155 lbs) Cost: Not publicly disclosed, projected at around $150,000 F 02 could be considered the workhorse of the humanoid robot world, considering it has been successfully put to work at BMW’s Spartanburg, U.S. manufacturing plant. Working on production lines, it has been credited with achieving a 400% increase in speed of work over its predecessor model F 01. Other units have been shipped to undisclosed customers who have put them to work in warehouses and factories. In the industrial setting for which it’s designed, it can move safely among human workers, lifting large objects as well as carrying out precision tasks. Figure is powered by a proprietary AI model created for it by OpenAI, with Figure also receiving funding from OpenAI, Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia and Intel. This video shows some clips of Figure 02 in action, as well as having a conversation. Manufacturer: Agility Robotics Height: Approx 1.75 meters (5ft 9in) Weight: 70kg (155 lbs) Cost: Not publicly disclosed This robot is specialized for factory work and, alongside the F 01 and F 02, is one of the few robots known to have been commercially sold and deployed. Use cases have focused on repetitive logistics tasks where it is capable of picking up and carrying objects, retrieving items from shelves and sorting into totes. Manufacturer: Sanctuary AI Height: Approx 1.7 meters (5ft 7in) Weight: 70kg (155 lbs) Cost: Not publicly disclosed What sets Phoenix apart from other industrial humanoids, such as F 02 and Digit, is its superior ability to learn new tasks. While training robots to complete physical tasks they haven’t attempted before is often a weeks-long process, Phoenix has been able to cut this down to just 24 hours. In addition to industrial settings, Phoenix has been commercially deployed in retail premises, where it was responsible for stocking shelves and packaging customer orders during its pilot tenure at a Canadian clothing store. Watch Phoenix become faster at performing repetitive human tasks here. Manufacturer: Apptronik Height: 1.73m (5ft 8in) Weight: 72kg (160lbs) Cost: Unknown This heavy-hitting industrial humanoid can lift 25k in its arms while navigating aisles and loading bays. It can palletize goods and has completed successful pilots with Mercedes-Benz as well as NASA, which has been backing the manufacturer since Apptronik took part in the DARPA Robotics Challenge in 2013. Apptronik itself was initially spun out of the University of Texas’s Human-Centered Robotics Lab, with the specific aim of advancing humanoid use in industry. Check out this short video introducing Apollo and some of the tasks it can carry out. Manufacturer: Booster Robotics Height: 1.2m (4ft) Weight: 30kg (66lbs) Cost: Currently sells for Euro 39,000 in France, and $47,685 in the U.S. Four teams of these robots, operated fully autonomously, competed in three-versus-three soccer matches in China. Four university teams competed in what is said to be the first fully autonomous championship featuring robots playing “human sports”. The robots are capable of working as a team to control the ball and score goals, and are capable of withstanding impacts from the ball or other players, and picking themselves up after falling. Viewers commented that pro footballers shouldn’t worry about their jobs yet and two players were “stretchered off” after becoming damaged. But it was still an exciting preview of what could be in store at the first World Humanoid Robot Games, which will also take place in China. You can see footage of the robot-versus-robot match here. As these remarkable machines continue to evolve, the line between science fiction and reality is disappearing fast. Whether they’re helping in factories, folding laundry, or playing football, humanoid robots are no longer just prototypes; they’re becoming co-workers, companions, and collaborators in our daily lives. The real question now is: how ready are we for them?
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Robots awkwardly race, fight and flop around in China's first …
Description: The first World Humanoid Robot Games are underway in China, with robots competing against each other in track and field, soccer, kickboxing and other events.
Description: China's UBTech Robotics has secured a 264 million yuan (US$37 million) contract to deploy industrial-grade humanoid robots on border.
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All Rights Reserved, IE Media, Inc. China just signed a US$37m deal to put self-charging humanoid robots on its borders. China’s UBTech Robotics has secured a 264 million yuan (US$37 million) contract to deploy industrial-grade humanoid robots across border crossings in Guangxi, expanding the country’s push to apply robotics in public-facing and industrial environments. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in December. The agreement was signed with a humanoid robot centre in Fangchenggang, a coastal city bordering Vietnam. The deployment will involve UBTech’s Walker S2, a model launched in July and described as the world’s first humanoid robot capable of autonomously replacing its own battery. The initiative marks one of China’s largest real-world rollouts of humanoid systems in government operations. The details were first reported by the South China Morning Post (SCMP). Simultaneously, the company issued a brief public announcement on social media alongside news of its inclusion in the MSCI China Index. The pilot programme will deploy Walker S2 robots at border checkpoints to guide travellers, manage personnel flow, assist with patrol duties, handle logistics tasks, and support commercial services, the SCMP report said. In addition to immigration-related operations, the robots will also be used at manufacturing sites for steel, copper, and aluminium to conduct inspections. The deal reflects an acceleration in China’s broader effort to commercialise embodied AI. The robotics sector has received strong policy backing, and agencies across multiple provinces have begun incorporating robots into routine work. Similar deployments have also appeared in airports, government offices, and at major events. A China Central Television segment referenced by the SCMP reported that a related robot had been deployed at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport to answer passenger questions. During this year’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tianjin, immigration authorities used a multilingual robot developed by Beijing-based iBen Intelligence. Police patrol robots have also been seen in cities such as Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Chengdu. While the deployment itself targets border and industrial applications, the Walker S2’s design is rooted in smart manufacturing and logistics. UBTech describes the robot as an industrial-grade humanoid built for high uptime and complex manipulation tasks. Standing at around 1.76 metres tall, the Walker S2 features a highly articulated body with 52 degrees of freedom, including fourth-generation dexterous hands with 11 degrees of freedom each. These enable sub-millimetre precision for tasks such as assembly and grasping. The robot can handle loads of up to 15 kilograms (33 pounds) per arm across a workspace stretching from ground level to 1.8 metres. High-torque joints in the waist enable deep squatting and stooping, supporting operations that require strength and flexibility. One of the robot’s most notable features is its autonomous hot-swappable dual-battery system. UBTech says the Walker S2 can replace its own depleted battery with a fully charged one in about three minutes, allowing nearly continuous 24-hour operation without manual intervention. For perception and decision-making, the system integrates UBTech’s BrainNet 2.0 and Co-Agent AI frameworks, which combine multimodal reasoning, task planning, and autonomous exception handling. The robot uses a pure RGB binocular stereo vision system that provides human-like depth perception, enabling it to adapt to dense and dynamic factory environments. Advanced dynamic balancing algorithms help maintain stability during bipedal movement, even when the robot carries heavy loads or moves at speeds of up to 7.2 km/h (2 m/s). UBTech said that cumulative orders for the Walker series have reached 1.1 billion yuan (US $115 million) since shipments began this month. The company aims to deliver 500 industrial humanoids by the end of the year and increase output tenfold next year, with a long-term target of producing 10,000 units annually by 2027. Chief branding officer Michael Tam said the company also intends to reduce manufacturing costs as production scales. The SCMP reported that China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has recently formalised its national humanoid robotics committee, an indication of the sector’s rapid development. UBTech’s technology chief, Xiong Youjun, Unitree founder, Wang Xingxing, AgiBot co-founder, Peng Zhihui, and Jiang Lei of Shanghai’s Humanoid Robotics Innovation Centre were appointed as vice-directors. In China, robotics is also gaining ground in areas such as healthcare and elderly care, urban cleaning, traffic management, public safety patrols, and automated delivery through metro systems and drones. New sectors, such as border control, are also increasingly shaped by China’s push toward embodied AI. Kaif Shaikh is a journalist and writer passionate about turning complex information into clear, impactful stories. His writing covers technology, sustainability, geopolitics, and occasionally fiction. A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, his work has appeared in the Times of India and beyond. After a near-fatal experience, Kaif began seeing both stories and silences differently. Outside work, he juggles far too many projects and passions, but always makes time to read, reflect, and hold onto the thread of wonder. Premium Follow
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Global Humanoid Robot Market to Reach Sales of $17.32
Description: Global humanoid robot market value was pegged at USD 1.48 Billion in 2021, and it is expected to reach a valuation of USD 17.32 Billion by 2028, at a CAGR...
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August 29, 2022 09:51 ET | Source: SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd. SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd. Westford, USA, Aug. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robots are already in use in manufacturing, aerospace industries and other technological fields, but their use is set to increase in the next few years as developers in the global humanoid robot market such as Honda, Tesla, Xiaomi, and Engineered Art, among others strive to create more sophisticated models that can interact with humans. Researchers at the University of Tokyo have created a humanoid robot that can walk and climb using its hands and feet, which is an important advance on current models. The robots are also becoming more lifelike, with facial expressions and realistic skin textures that help them to communicate with humans. The demand for humanoid robot market continues to increase, as people become more interested in having robotic assistants around. There are a number of reasons for this, but one major factor is the aging population. Humanoid robots are able to help with tasks that would typically be considered too difficult or dangerous for elderly people, such as cleaning heavy objects. Current nursing home residents are often elderly and frail, making them more susceptible to accidents and infections. By investing in humanoid robots, nursing homes can reduce the need for human workers and thus reduce health care costs. Get sample copy of this report: https://skyquestt.com/sample-request/humanoid-robot-market Japan is Holding 54% of Asia Pacific Humanoid Robot Market China's humanoid robot market is projected to worth more than $2.5 billion by 2030, while Japan's humanoid robot industry is expected to generate revenue of more than $1.6 billion by 2030 according to a report by SkyQuest. The report says that Japan has been leading the humanoid robot market for a long time and dominates the Asia Pacific market. But China's rapidly growing humanoid robot industry is catching up with Japan and other countries in the region. In August 2022, Xiaomi, a Chinese company, unveiled its humanoid robot named CyberOne. The robot can detect emotion and it was able to capture immense popularity across the globe. The company has enabled the robot with advanced vision capability that use 3D mapping for navigating. As per our study, Japan produced more than 89,800 units in 2021. The went significantly up from in 2015 as Japan produced over 36,000 humanoid robots, while China produced over 14,000. Currently, Japan is holding around 54% of the Asia Pacific humanoid robot market, which is followed by China. ASIMO, a Honda product, is the most popular robot ever produced by Japan. Apart from this, T-HR3 by Toyota is second most popular humanoid robot in Japan, which can imitate real time action of person wearing control suit. China, on the other hand, has not traditionally been a center of robotic innovation and is only now starting to build up its own robotics industry. This difference has led to different approaches to humanoid robot development, with Japan emphasizing engineering creativity and China focusing on manufacturing strength. Integration of AI in Humanoid Robots is in Early Stage but Holds Promising Future As per SkyQuest analysis, the process of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into humanoid robot market is still in its early stages, but it is already yielding promising results. In particular, AI has been shown to enhance the robotic capabilities of these machines, making them more capable and versatile overall. Browse summary of the report and Complete Table of Contents (ToC): https://skyquestt.com/report/humanoid-robot-market One such example is Softbank’s humanoid robot, Pepper. Originally designed as a teaching tool, Pepper was quickly adapted for military and commercial use in the humanoid robot market. Its artificial intelligence software allowed it to carry out complex tasks and respond autonomously to various stimuli. Since then, other companies have followed suit and developed their own humanoid robots with AI capabilities. Honda’s ASIMO robot is currently the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, boasting a number of impressive abilities, such as walking on two legs and holding a conversation. Robotics research is becoming more focused on AI across the global humanoid robot market. In the past, research into humanoid robots was mainly geared towards creating automated machines that looked and behaved like humans. However, over the past few years, more researchers are beginning to focus on incorporating AI into these robots in order to improve their performance and make them more autonomous. This shift is particularly evident in Fully Automated Living Systems (FALLS), which are robot systems that can independently operate and learn without any human input or supervision. So far, FALLS have been successful in tasks such as navigation and handling objects—but there's still a lot of room for improvement. SkyQuest has tracked all the on-going development in the global humanoid robot market and prepared a report. This would provide a detailed analysis about what is happening in the global market, how other players are performing, what are they working on, and efforts they are taking to make the humanoid robot more sophisticated. Apart from this, the report would help you in understanding how the market is performing with respect to new product launch and development of technology, among others. Key Developments in Global Humanoid Robots Market Speak to Analyst for your custom requirements: https://skyquestt.com/speak-with-analyst/humanoid-robot-market Major Players in Global Humanoid Robot Market Related Reports in SkyQuest’s Library: Global Smart Parcel Locker Market Global 3D Camera Market Global Image Sensor Market Global Vacuum Cleaner Market Global LED Lighting Market About Us: SkyQuest Technology is leading growth consulting firm providing market intelligence, commercialization and technology services. It has 450+ happy clients globally. Address: 1 Apache Way, Westford, Massachusetts 01886 Phone: USA (+1) 617-230-0741 Email: sales@skyquestt.com LinkedIn Facebook Twitter
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Figure Plans To Ship 100,000 Humanoid Robots Over Next 4 …
Description: Figure CEO Brett Adcock sees the potential to ship 100,000 humanoid robots over the next four years, and said that Figure is focused on two markets: commercial and home.
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ByJohn Koetsier, Senior Contributor. The CEO of one of the leading manufacturers of humanoid robots says it has signed a second commercial customer that is “one of the biggest U.S. companies.” Figure CEO Brett Adcock also said that he sees the potential to ship 100,000 humanoid robots over the next four years, and said that Figure is focused on two markets: commercial and home. “Our newest customer is one of the biggest U.S. companies,” Adcock says in an update on LinkedIn. “It gives us potential to ship at high volumes which will drive cost reduction and AI data collection. Between both customers, we believe there is a path to 100,000 robots over the next four years.” It’s not immediately clear if Adcock means both this new customer and the one he announced in December, or if he’s referring to the two markets that he said Figure will focus on. (I have asked Figure for clarification.) Figure was recently rated as one of the top two contenders out of 16 leading companies to crack usable, effective, and affordable humanoid robots by futurist and engineer Peter Diamandis. (Diamandis did disclose to me that his venture fund is an investor in Figure.) Figure stands out for shipping its first robot, Figure 01, just 31 months after incorporating. While Figure 02 is the currently shipping model, Diamandis says that Figure 03 is up and running in the lab, and it’s even more impressive. Adcock says AI is a key driver in Figure teaching itself how to work. “Last week, we successfully began running an end-to-end neural network on the new client’s use case,” he says. “Learning the use case with AI is the only path here as heuristics would be impossible to write. And every time I see these policies running, it feels like pure magic!” A key focus right now, he says, is completing work at “high speeds and high performance.” In January 2024, Figure 01 was tethered and moved at just 17% the speed of a human: hardly impressive. But technology advances quickly, and Figure 02 is seven times faster, the company says. While the company hasn’t released information about Figure 03 publicly yet, it’s likely that the third iteration will be even quicker and more capable. It will need to be. Figure 02 moves at 1.2 meters per second, Figure says, which translates into just 2.68 miles per hour, about half a mile per hour slower than average human walking speed. Given the company’s pace of development, however, that seems possible, if not even likely. “These humanoid robots are iterating very rapidly,” Diamandis told me in a recent TechFirst podcast, speaking about the industry in general. “I think we’ll see versions available in the house by the end of 2026.” Adcock is not looking to grow the customer base massively right at the moment. His focus is rather to go deep with specific large customers. “On the commercial side, our strategy is to stay focused on a small number of clients,” he stated on LinkedIn. “Early on, it’s more efficient for us to grow vertically within a few clients than to spread out across many.” While Adcock did not say the name of Figure’s second customer, the first is BMW. He did say the second is “one of the biggest U.S. companies.” That could mean it’s one of Walmart or Amazon, the two largest U.S. companies by 2024 revenue, and both companies with massive and growing labor needs in logistics and transportation. It could also be Apple, the third largest, and one that desperately needs to on-shore production of iPhones and Macs to avoid potential tariffs under the new U.S. administration. Other large U.S. companies include healthcare companies like UnitedHealth Group and CVS Health. The health care industry is one that will benefit massively from good and inexpensive humanoid robots, as they can be used as care aids and nurses in helping move patients as well as more prosaic tasks such as cleaning. Getting humanoid robots out of labs and into the real world is critical for companies and robot manufacturers alike to test their capabilities and limits, and prioritize development for improvements. As Adcock mentions, real-world deployments also builds the pool of data for AI development and improvement. Other leaders in the humanoid robot space include Agility Robotics, whose Digit was the first to get a paying job, but also many others, including Telsa with Optimus, Unitree, Apptronik, Sanctuary AI, and Agibot. Only six of the top 16 are in the U.S., while eight are in China.
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China's humanoid robots compete with United States in 'space race …
Description: China is now competing with the United States in the race to find a breakthrough moment with machines set to transform economies.
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Personalise the news and stay in the know Emergency Backstory Newsletters 中文新闻 BERITA BAHASA INDONESIA TOK PISIN Find any issues using dark mode? Please let us know Topic:Robotics Two humanoid robots face off in a ring in the world's first humanoid robot kick-boxing competition. The high-tech robots from a Chinese robotics firm jab and kick each other, and spring back onto their feet after being knocked down. While not exactly on par with professional human kickboxers, it's an impressive display of agility and balance. A video of the humanoid robots fighting in the China Media Group World Robot Competition in May. (Reuters: CCTV) The show in May came after yet another "world first", as Chinese state media called it, when humanoid robots jogged alongside thousands of half-marathon runners in Beijing in April. A humanoid robot runs in the half marathon in Beijing in April. (Supplied: AP) Then there was the humanoid robot display during a Spring Festival Gala event, when a group of bots dressed in red and white costume vests performed a routine alongside dancers on stage. Humanoid robots dance on stage at a Spring Festival Gala event in China in 2025. (Supplied: CCTV) State-run media and robotics companies in China have been celebrating advances in the capabilities of humanoid robots — robots that look human with arms and legs — as companies from China compete with robot developers from the United States. Humanoid robots were seen to have so much potential in part because they could adapt to the world as it was, said Alan Burden, a PhD in design robotics. "There's also a cultural element which is very evident in a lot of science fiction — humanoids are compelling because they remind us of ourselves, which makes them easier to imagine in daily life, even if the technical reality is still catching up," said Dr Burden. Jeff Cardenas, chief executive of US robotics company Apptronik, called it "the space race of our time". Employees work on the humanoid robot assembly line at the AgiBot factory in Shanghai. (Reuters: Florence Lo) While it's a race the US has been leading, China has been catching up. Beijing unveiled a national plan in 2023 to build a world-class humanoid robotics industry by 2027, part of President Xi Jinping's tech-led vision for the economy that includes electric vehicles, renewable energy and artificial intelligence. In March, the Chinese government announced it would set up a one trillion yuan ($214 billion) fund to support startups in areas such as AI and robotics. A humanoid robot, called Tiangong made by Beijing's Innovation Centre of Humanoid Robotics, shows how it can move an orange. (Reuters: Tingshu Wang) Experts say advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technology are helping take the technology to the next level. Chinese humanoid robot startup MagicLab chief executive Wu Changzheng told Reuters it was using new home-grown AI models like DeepSeek, Qwen and ByteDance's Doubao. "DeepSeek has been helpful in task reasoning and comprehension, contributing to the development of our robots' 'brains,'" Mr Wu told Reuters. DeepSeek is being used in humanoid robots in China. (Reuters: Illustration by Dado Ruvic) This is despite the US attempting to restrict China's access to the best computer chips essential to training AI models. Claude Sammut, a computer science and engineering professor from the University of New South Wales, said China's clearest advantage was its domination of the manufacturing supply chain that makes the hardware. "You can find everything you need in certain industrial hubs, so that's why they've been able to drive the cost down," said Professor Sammut. In 2024, 31 Chinese companies unveiled 36 new humanoid models, versus only eight released by US companies that same year, according to a Morgan Stanley report published this year. "Our research suggests China continues to show the most impressive progress in humanoid robotics where startups are benefiting from established supply chains, local adoption opportunities, and strong degrees of national government support," said the report. Humanoid robot Abi works in aged care facilities. (Supplied: Andromeda) The potential of humanoid robots to transform economies and societies is expected to be huge. Beijing is aiming for a new industrial revolution where many factory tasks would be performed by humanoid robots. Despite concerns about the impact on jobs, Beijing sees the technology as key to plugging labour shortages in other areas as well. They include elderly care where demand is increasing as China's 1.4 billion population ages. Abi introduces herself. (ABC News: Kai Feng) In Australia, robotics company Andromeda Robotics has created a humanoid robot called Abi to work in aged care facilities. Andromeda co-founder mechatronics engineer Grace Brown started Abi during the pandemic, when she found herself isolated and lonely during lockdowns in Melbourne and watching lots of Disney and Pixar movies. "At the time I wanted to build something that was very much like a Pixar character, one that's warm and friendly and approachable. "That was the inception for Abi." Abi (left) with her creator, Grace Brown, head of Australian humanoid robotics company Andromeda. (ABC News: Iris Zhao) Ms Brown believes humanoid robots, companion robots like Abi, will redefine relationships in future. "The vision that we've always believed that was inevitable is that in the future, every single person, in every single continent, is going to have access to their own personal, home companion robot." And it's not long until humanoid robots have a breakthrough moment. "That's going to be like the iPhone or a ChatGPT moment for humanoid robots. "And it's very near." Professor Claude Sammut led UNSW teams who took part in a robot soccer league, called RoboCup. (Supplied: UNSW/Anna Kucera) Despite the predictions, some believe humanoid robots still have a long way to go before they become part of everyday life. While robots have demonstrated multiple skills such as sorting objects, cleaning, lifting, and recent advances in artificial intelligence have improved the degree of autonomy in humanoid robots, there is a lot robots still can't do. Even basic physical tasks have yet to be mastered by some of the most advanced humanoids, like Tesla's Optimus. "For example, it takes Optimus almost 10 seconds to put an egg into an egg cooker," explained a US government report from October 2024. A man walks past Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus, on display at the World Robot Conference in Beijing in 2024. (Reuters: Florence Lo) Professor Sammut said the robot demonstrations in China had mostly been "flashy demos to show off the hardware". He said the biggest recent improvements in humanoid robots had been in "reinforcement learning". In the past it had been difficult to hand program robots to do "fancy" things like boxing, but now robots could be taught, he explained. This would make humanoid robots useful in the home because robots could learn by themselves. A person takes a selfie with humanoid robot Tiangong Ultra, after it won the humanoid half marathon in Beijing in April. (Reuters: Tingshu Wang) US tech billionaire Brett Adcock has said the aim for humanoid robot developers is for people to be able to talk to robots who can then implement requested tasks. "The end-state for this is you really want the default UI [user interface] to be speech," said Mr Adcock, founder of robotics company Figure AI, which is building a general-purpose humanoid robot. Developers were also using generative AI to enable humanoid robots to better understand requests, then create plans to complete tasks, explained Professor Sammut. "There's still a fair bit of work to do on that because the generative models can produce stuff that isn't necessarily true," he added. Professor Sammut said economics and cost was another major barrier. "Right now, I don't see robots coming down to, like, the price of a phone," he said. "So it's more like buying a car than buying a phone." Despite investments from China, Robert Potter, a visiting fellow with Australian National University and a cyber security expert, said there were good reasons the democratic world "has the edge" in the humanoid robot race. Mr Potter, co-founder of an advisory firm which worked with the United States Defense Department, said China mostly copied innovations. "Areas where they have done well such as camera-based AI and surveillance are areas where the state is a larger market in China than in the democratic world," he added. A screenshot of the video of the humanoid robots boxing each other in China in May. (Supplied: CCTV) Professor Sammut questioned whether humanoid robots more broadly would ever fulfil their promise. "Really the big question is, how useful are they going to be?" he asked. The robots came in all different shapes and sizes. One looked almost human, with feminine features and the ability to wink and smile. "It's really not quite clear what the end goal is, because [industry] is producing this great looking technology but exactly how they can be deployed, people are still working it out." Dr Burden said humanoid robots were probably at the peak of inflated expectations in the "hype cycle". "The next few years will show whether that hype turns into usefulness or evolves into another type of emerging technology," he said. ABC/Reuters Topic:Government and Politics Topic:World Politics Topic:World Politics Topic:Federal Government Topic:Interest Rates Topic:Science and Technology Analysis by Alan Kohler Topic:AI AI China Robotics Technology United States World Politics Topic:Government and Politics Topic:World Politics Topic:World Politics Topic:Federal Government Topic:Interest Rates Topic:World Politics Topic:World Politics Topic:Fires Topic:Courts Your home of Australian stories, conversations and events that shape our nation. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. 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Robots stumble, crash and backflip at China’s wild humanoid Olympics-style …
Description: China’s World Humanoid Robot Games saw robots crash, sprint and collapse in chaotic sports contests, as the country pushes forward with multi-billion-dollar investments in artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics.
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China launched a three-day event last week that looked like a cross between the Olympics and a science fair, except the athletes are robots. The World Humanoid Robot Games was held in Beijing, drawing 280 teams from 16 countries eager to showcase the latest in artificial intelligence and robotics. The competition featured robots tackling both traditional sports, such as track and field and table tennis, and tasks more closely tied to real-world applications, from sorting medicines and handling materials to cleaning services. Teams came from the United States, Germany, Brazil and China, with 192 groups representing universities and 88 from private companies, including Chinese robotics firms Unitree and Fourier Intelligence. Many teams competed with machines built by local manufacturer Booster Robotics. Spectators saw plenty of thrills, and spills. In football matches, robots repeatedly clashed, often toppling over in heaps. One match saw four robots collide and collapse together. Races were equally chaotic. During the 1500-metre sprint, a robot suddenly collapsed at full speed, drawing both gasps and cheers from the crowd. Tickets for the event ranged from 128 to 580 yuan ($17.83–$80.77). The stumbles and crashes didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of audiences, who often applauded when robots managed to right themselves without human help. For participants, the games were as much about research as competition. “We come here to play and to win. But we are also interested in research,” said Max Polter, a member of HTWK Robots football team from Germany’s Leipzig University of Applied Sciences. He explained that the event allows teams to try out new ideas in a practical setting. “If we try something and it doesn’t work, we lose the game. That’s sad but it is better than investing a lot of money into a product which failed.”Organisers said the chaotic football matches serve a purpose beyond entertainment. By forcing robots to coordinate, they provide valuable data that could be applied to real-world scenarios, such as factory assembly lines where multiple units need to work in sync. The event also helps developers refine robots’ balance, agility and recovery when facing unexpected challenges.China is putting billions of dollars into humanoid robotics as it seeks both to address an ageing population and to stay competitive in the global race for advanced technologies. In recent months, Beijing has hosted a string of high-profile events, from what it called the world’s first humanoid robot marathon to dedicated retail stores for humanoid machines. Organisers said the chaotic football matches serve a purpose beyond entertainment. By forcing robots to coordinate, they provide valuable data that could be applied to real-world scenarios, such as factory assembly lines where multiple units need to work in sync. The event also helps developers refine robots’ balance, agility and recovery when facing unexpected challenges. China is putting billions of dollars into humanoid robotics as it seeks both to address an ageing population and to stay competitive in the global race for advanced technologies. In recent months, Beijing has hosted a string of high-profile events, from what it called the world’s first humanoid robot marathon to dedicated retail stores for humanoid machines. Analysts say the growing public enthusiasm reflects a cultural shift. A recent report by Morgan Stanley noted that attendance at a recent robotics conference had surged compared with previous years. The analysts said this showed “how China, not just top government officials, has embraced the concept of embodied intelligence.” As robots crashed, stumbled and even attempted backflips at the Beijing games, one thing became clear: while they may not yet be Olympic champions, humanoids are becoming a serious part of China’s technological future.- EndsPublished By: Nandini YadavPublished On: Aug 19, 2025Must Watch
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Is This the ChatGPT Moment for Humanoid Robots? Reality Check …
Description: Is This the ChatGPT Moment for Humanoid Robots? Reality Check for the Robotics World (September 15, 2025) From Dreams to Reality: Analyzing the Economic Impact ...
