Samsung advances in-house humanoid robot ...
Shallow-π reportedly reduces computational requirements to one-third of conventional VLA systems and enables robots to make 17 decisions per second.
Key takeaways
- Humanoid robot shipments are surging, with Smart Analytics Global reporting roughly 19,100 units shipped worldwide in the first half of 2026—more than triple the volume a year earlier—and projecting full‑year deliveries near 60,000, potentially climbing to 500,000 by 2030.
- China dominates the market, accounting for about 97 % of H1 shipments, driven by extensive supply‑chain support, new tariff codes, export‑insurance policies and a wave of government programs for real‑scenario training.
- The sector’s most visible commercial players include Unitree Robotics, which shipped over 5,500 units in 2025, announced an IPO on Shanghai’s STAR Market with a target valuation of roughly 61 billion yuan, and introduced a $16,000 G1 model that consumes only $82 a year in electricity.
- In industry settings, Xiaomi’s humanoid is already assembling components in its EV factory, AgiBot’s Elf G2 operates on a 3C production line, and StarDance’s M7 robot serves logistics centres for SF Express and China Post.
- New applications are also emerging: Tau Robotics is piloting a San Francisco household‑cleaning service with $30‑per‑hour humanoids, while Foundation’s “Phantom” robot is being pitched for autonomous border‑patrol duties, though no formal contracts exist yet.
Shallow-π reportedly reduces computational requirements to one-third of conventional VLA systems and enables robots to make 17 decisions per second. In factory testing, it achieved a 95 percent success rate on precision water-hose insertion tasks, coordinating 22 degrees of freedom across both arms and hands.
Samsung is also reportedly developing a World Model that can predict the physical consequences of actions before robots execute them, potentially helping machines learn new tasks and adapt to unfamiliar environments.
The company plans to establish a Robot Data Factory at its Gumi campus, using data generated by robots working on semiconductor, smartphone and appliance production lines. Such real-world data could help train AI systems and reduce the sim-to-real gap. ## Samsung’s robot push
Humanoid robots are expected to become a major industry as advances in artificial intelligence and robotics enable machines to handle increasingly complex tasks. Samsung has already strengthened its position in the sector through a major investment in South Korean robotics company Rainbow Robotics, becoming its largest shareholder.
The report also suggests that Samsung is developing humanoid robots independently within the company. The reported project operates separately from Rainbow Robotics and could benefit from Samsung’s extensive manufacturing capabilities.
According to the reports, Samsung’s in-house humanoid has already demonstrated performance that surpasses several domestic competitors, highlighting the potential advantage of its industrial expertise. Rainbow Robotics remains an important part of Samsung’s robotics strategy following Samsung’s 35 percent controlling stake. Its RB-Y1 wheeled dual-arm robot is reportedly being tested in logistics operations, while the separate in-house humanoid project is described as more advanced. Samsung’s RX division, launched in July 2026, oversees the broader robotics strategy, including core technology development, business execution and international research hubs.
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