Are Humanoid Robots Already Stronger Than We Realize? - CNET
Tech There's a new Terminator robot in China, and other humanoids are allegedly strong enough to "fracture a human skull." Let's weigh the claims, facts and true risks.
Key takeaways
The most recent developments in humanoid robotics focus on large‑scale industrial deployments. In late December 2025, Italian firm Oversonic Robotics announced a supply agreement with semiconductor giant STMicroelectronics to integrate its RoBee cognitive humanoid robots across the chipmaker’s global production sites, marking the first operational use of humanoid robots in semiconductor manufacturing. Around the same time, Chinese battery leader CATL unveiled the world’s first mass‑produced humanoid robot line for battery pack assembly; the robot, dubbed “Xiaomo,” is now handling complex tasks such as connector insertion on CATL’s production lines. These moves signal a shift from prototype demonstrations toward practical, high‑volume applications of humanoid robots in both semiconductor and battery‑manufacturing sectors.
Tech
There's a new Terminator robot in China, and other humanoids are allegedly strong enough to "fracture a human skull." Let's weigh the claims, facts and true risks.
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