Why Humanoid Robots May Be the Wrong Bet for Industrial Automation - Automation World

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Sponsored Picks David Brandt

Feb. 26, 2026

5 min read

Key Highlights

The human body evolved for survival, not industry. The high center of gravity, complex joints and 200+ degrees of freedom make humanoid robots less reliable than purpose-built alternatives. Existing safety standards like ISO 13849-1 demand high performance levels to prevent dangerous falls, yet few humanoid manufacturers provide credible stability or reliability data to meet them. Specialized robots, such as AMRs, cobots, SCARA and delta robots, already prove that purpose-built design delivers safer, more scalable automation without the engineering compromises of the human form factor. Humanoid robots promise revolutionary automation, but their complexity, instability and safety gaps may outweigh the appeal of human-shaped machines.

David Brandt

Feb. 26, 2026

5 min read

Key Highlights