Europe’s robot race is on, and China is the rival to beat - Malay Mail
Tech-gadgets Europe’s robot race is on, and China is the rival to beat
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Key takeaways
- Humanoid robots are back in the headlines as Europe, the United States and China race to commercialise the technology.
- At France’s Vivatech trade fair on 20 June, European firms displayed social and industrial androids such as Enchanted Tools’ “Mirokai” and Germany’s Neura, which announced a US $1.4 billion funding round to build humanoids for niches ranging from dentistry to household chores; the company’s CEO said demand is surging as ageing populations strain the labour supply.
- Despite the buzz, a UK‑based Omdia study still shows that 87 % of the roughly 13,000 humanoid units deployed worldwide in 2025 were produced in China, underscoring the country’s dominance.
- In the United States, Agility Robotics is preparing to list on the Nasdaq via a SPAC at a $2.5 billion valuation, having already rolled out its full‑size Digit robot in nine customer sites, including Amazon, Toyota and GXO, and it will be the first to integrate Nvidia’s new “Halos for Robotics” safety software that gives humanoids split‑second situational awareness.
- Nvidia itself is promoting the Isaac GR00T reference humanoid platform and, alongside partners such as Sharpa, is adding dexterous tactile hands to the Unitree H2 Plus chassis.
Tech-gadgets
Europe’s robot race is on, and China is the rival to beat
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