Humanoid and Siemens proof of concept shows the way to industrial deployments - The Robot Report
Humanoid this week also partnered with motion technology provider Schaeffler Technologies AG. Over the next five years, the companies agreed to bring hundreds of Humanoid’s robots into Schaeffler’s production facilities. --- ### Tell Us What You Think!
Key takeaways
Recent developments show humanoid robots moving from laboratory prototypes toward commercial use. In November 2025 Chinese firm UBTECH announced the world’s first mass delivery of its Walker S2 humanoid, shipping more than 1,000 units to factories and positioning the robot—capable of autonomous walking, object handling and hot‑swappable batteries—for early‑stage deployment in industrial settings. Building on that momentum, Airbus has begun testing UBTECH’s Walker S2 on its assembly lines, marking the European aerospace maker’s first foray into humanoid‑assisted aircraft manufacturing. In the United Kingdom, Humanoid and Siemens completed a proof‑of‑concept in January 2026 that placed Humanoid’s wheeled, dual‑arm HMND 01 robot into real‑world logistics operations at a Siemens facility, achieving over 90 % success in autonomous pick‑and‑place tasks and laying the groundwork for broader rollout across Siemens plants. A parallel pilot at Ford’s Innovation Centre in Cologne demonstrated the same robot handling complex automotive workflows such as tote kitting and dual‑arm manipulation of large metal body parts, using NVIDIA’s Omniverse digital twins to validate performance. In the United States, Boston Dynamics unveiled a new version of its Atlas biped at CES 2026, highlighting advances in battery power, AI‑driven perception and safety standards that are essential for factory integration. Meanwhile, AI startup 1X introduced a “world model” that lets its humanoid Neo learn directly from onboard video, reducing reliance on human teleoperators and aiming to bring the robot into homes later this year. Across the sector, industry analysts note that safety certification, ISO compliance and cybersecurity are becoming central concerns as these machines transition from demos to reliable, cost‑effective production tools.
Humanoid this week also partnered with motion technology provider Schaeffler Technologies AG. Over the next five years, the companies agreed to bring hundreds of Humanoid’s robots into Schaeffler’s production facilities.
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Humanoid and Siemens proof of concept shows the way to industrial deployments
By The Robot Report Staff |
The HMND 01 wheeled, two-armed robot picks up a tote. Source: Humanoid
Humanoid and Siemens AG yesterday said that they have completed a proof of concept, or POC, demonstrating the use of a mobile manipulator in industrial logistics. The POC involved Humanoid’s HMND 01 wheeled Alpha robot. The company deployed the robot in actual operations at a Siemens facility.
Humanoid, which is formally known as SKL Robotics Ltd., structured the POC in two phases. The first phase focused on in-house development and demonstration. The company said its team built a “physical twin” to support testing, optimization, and rapid iteration. Humanoid and Siemens said this POC is a first step toward a long-term strategic collaboration. The companies added that they are open to expanding the scope and adding use cases. The partners also may progress toward a broader rollout, deploying a greater number of robots across Siemens’ facilities, based on the robot’s specific skill set.
“As Siemens’ ‘Customer 0,’ the Electronics Factory Erlangen is excited to partner with the Humanoid team,” said Stephan Schlauss, global head of manufacturing motion control at Siemens. “We’re tackling production automation, discovering new opportunities for Siemens, and are eager to advance this promising technology across our factory network to deliver customer value.”
Humanoid plans to deploy its robots in more settings
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