Humanoid partners with Bosch, Schaeffler to scale robot production
Last week, Humanoid said it has signed a binding, phased agreement with Schaeffler Technologies AG to integrate its robots into live manufacturing operations. The first systems will go live in Germany before the end of 2026.
Key takeaways
- Figure announced that its BotQ facility has boosted output of the Figure 03 humanoid from one unit per day to one unit per hour—a 24‑fold increase achieved in under 120 days—while reporting more than 350 third‑generation robots produced and a first‑pass yield above 80 percent, along with new “System 0” whole‑body control that fuses visual and proprioceptive data to navigate stairs and uneven terrain without real‑world fine‑tuning.
- Boston Dynamics demonstrated that its Atlas robot can now sense its own body, lifting loads up to 45 kg and performing cable‑free joint rotations that enable continuous, unrestricted movement, a capability built on millions of simulated reinforcement‑learning runs.
- Singapore‑based Doozy Robotics expanded its physical‑AI platform to the United States, GCC and Asia, pairing an industrial super‑humanoid with autonomous mobile robots and forklifts under its Eywa‑OS orchestration layer, with the super‑humanoid slated for launch later this year.
- Humanoid (formerly SKL Robotics) secured a phased partnership with Schaeffler Technologies and Bosch to integrate its HMND platform into German manufacturing sites before the end of 2026, marking one of the largest disclosed humanoid rollouts and committing Schaeffler to supply over half of its joint actuators through 2031.
- In China, government‑backed humanoid robot learning centers such as the Beijing‑based Humanoid Robot Data Training Center are training machines on a wide range of workplace scenarios, with industry leaders saying autonomous operation is only a matter of time.
Last week, Humanoid said it has signed a binding, phased agreement with Schaeffler Technologies AG to integrate its robots into live manufacturing operations. The first systems will go live in Germany before the end of 2026.
Humanoid claimed that it is one of the largest humanoid robot rollouts disclosed to date, positioning it as one of the youngest companies to secure such a contract at this scale. The company will also use Schaeffler as a preferred supplier, covering more than 50% of its demand for joint actuators through 2031. This partnership is expected to translate into a seven-digit number of actuators. Founded in 2024 as SKL Robotics Ltd., Humanoid has designed the HMND platform for industrial environments. The wheeled mobile manipulator has a humanoid torso, head, and two arms and can adapt to a range of tasks in human-centric spaces, said the company.
Editor’s note: The 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo this month in Boston will include a keynote and sessions on humanoid robots. Al Makke, head of humanoid robotics for North America at Schaeffler, will participate in a keynote on “The State of Humanoids.” Register now to attend.
Bosch POC demonstrates diverse box handling Schaeffler and Humanoid first announced their strategic partnership in January 2026 after successful proofs of concept. The initial robot deployments will run from December 2026 through June 2027 at two Schaeffler sites in Germany. In Herzogenaurach, the focus will remain on advancing box handling.
The operations in Schweinfurt will begin with a three-month capability demonstration and integration testing period. After that will come a three-month on-site phase to validate stable, continuous operation approaching full production scale.
Under its robot-as-a-service (RaaS) model, Humanoid will provide systems and services, including connection to fleet management software, maintenance, 24/7 technical support, updates, and ongoing performance management.
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