Humanoid robots are robotic systems designed with a human-like form factor, enabling them to move, manipulate objects, and operate in environments built for people. Unlike traditional industrial machines, humanoids aim to combine mobility, dexterity, and embodied intelligence to perform a wide range of physical tasks. This topic covers advances in locomotion, balance, manipulation, perception, and AI-driven control systems, as well as real-world deployment in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and service roles. It also examines the technical, economic, and safety challenges of scaling humanoid platforms beyond research and pilot programs. As hardware matures and AI models improve, humanoid robots are increasingly positioned as general-purpose systems for complex, unstructured environments.
Neura Robotics has closed a Series C round of up to $1.4 billion led by Tether, the stablecoin issuer behind USDT, with Tether also planning to integrate its Wallet Development Kit directly into Neura’s robotic systems as the companies argue autonomous robots need financial tools.
Addverb Technologies, backed by Reliance Industries and currently ranked outside the global top 30 in robotics by revenue, is raising more than $100 million to develop humanoid and quadruped robots, build AI training systems, and expand internationally as it targets a top-10 global ranking within five years.
Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng has assumed direct leadership of the company’s robotics business, effective immediately, as the EV maker targets mass production of its IRON humanoid robot by the end of 2026 and commercial customer delivery from 2027.
BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li has confirmed the company is developing humanoid robots in-house, with its own EV and battery factories as the first deployment target before a planned consumer rollout through BYD’s existing auto dealer network.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang declared humanoid robots “very very close” to industrial deployment as he and Hyundai Executive Chair Chung Euisun detailed plans to expand their physical AI and robotics partnership, with Huang also committing to join Hyundai’s $5.9 billion South Korean AI Valley initiative.
Xiaomi’s humanoid robot demonstrated autonomous grasping of the 17T Pro smartphone and independent volume key operation at the company’s product launch event, following a major CyberOne bionic hand redesign that reduced volume by 60%, increased degrees of freedom by 64%, and expanded tactile sensor coverage to 8,200 square millimeters.
UBTECH Robotics’ YouWorld brand has surpassed 2,110 pre-orders within six days of launching its full-size ultra-bionic humanoid robot on JD.com, with the consumer-facing product targeting emotional companionship and scheduled for official release on June 30.
BMW has launched its Leipzig humanoid robot pilot with Hexagon’s Aeon platform targeting battery assembly and component manufacturing, while publishing detailed results from the Spartanburg deployment with Figure AI in which a Figure 02 robot supported production of 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles over ten months.
VinDynamics, the robotics arm of Vietnam’s Vingroup, has signed an MOU with Skild AI to integrate the Skild Brain foundation model into its humanoid robots, targeting real-world deployment across manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, and commercial services.
LG Group and NVIDIA have signed a broad strategic partnership covering physical AI and robotics, AI data center infrastructure, and autonomous vehicle systems, with Jensen Huang and LG Chairman Kwang Mo Koo meeting in Seoul to formalize the expanded cooperation.