KDDI targets autumn launch for humanoid robots - Telecoms

Apptronik, the Austin‑based robotics startup, announced a $520 million funding round that lifted its valuation above $5 billion as it pushes its Apollo humanoid prototype toward commercial manufacturing, a move highlighted in a March 5 op‑ed that stresses the potential impact of humanoids on labor costs. In Japan, telecom operator KDDI expanded its partnership with digital‑avatar maker Avita and expects to begin commercial trials of Avita‑built humanoid robots by autumn, after securing cloud and communications infrastructure for remote control and AI processing. Researchers at Georgia Tech revealed a new “thinking” control system that markedly improves balance and agility for two‑legged robots, representing a confident step toward reliable walking stability. BMW has begun deploying Figure humanoid robots on its Leipzig plant’s assembly line following a successful pilot in Spartanburg that contributed to the production of more than 30,000 X3 models. At Mobile World Congress 2026, Honor unveiled its first humanoid robot as part of an “augmented human intelligence” strategy, targeting retail assistance, workplace inspection and companionship applications. Boston Dynamics introduced an updated all‑electric Atlas model that is slated for deployment in Hyundai’s Georgia factory within a few years, while Agility Robotics’ Digit is already operating at Amazon, Schaeffler, GXO, and now at Toyota’s Canadian manufacturing plant, illustrating the shift from pilots to production‑scale use. In China, Xiaomi founder Lei Jun and UBTECH championed the transition of humanoids from “apprentices” to full‑time workers, noting that UBTECH’s Walker S series is performing quality‑inspection tasks with millimeter precision and aims to achieve 60 % human‑level efficiency by the end of 2026. Industry analysts cite these deployments as evidence that the humanoid robot market could approach $30 billion by 2036 as automotive, logistics and manufacturing sectors scale their use of bipedal automation.

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