CES 2026 marked a pivotal shift: humanoid robots moving from prototypes to production and real deployments, with electric models, AI integration, and scaled manufacturing.
• Boston Dynamics Electric Atlas: Production version unveiled; manufacturing started, 2026 fleets to Hyundai RMAC & Google DeepMind; Hyundai plans 30,000/year factory.
• 1X NEO & Others: Home deliveries starting 2026; OTA updates enable fleet-wide learning from shared AI experiences.
• NEURA & Emerging Fleets: Shared "brain" AI (KinetIQ/Neuraverse) coordinates multi-robot tasks; China leads with 80%+ market share & mass shipments (Unitree, AgiBot).
Before: Lab demos & pilots.
Now: Commercial production, industrial pilots, and early home/commercial fleets.
The robotics tipping point is here.
🔴 LATEST HUMANOID ROBOT VIDEOS
Boston Dynamics Electric Atlas – Production Model Features & CES 2026 Unveil
Atlas, Optimus, Unitree/AgiBot ramps; Industrial & early home commitments
Humanoid Press - More Top News
Early February 2026 Humanoid Updates: China Holds 90% Market Share with Mass Shipments • Unitree G1 Sets Extreme-Cold Record (130K+ Steps at -47.4°C) • Tesla Optimus Targets Human-Level Proficiency & Gen 3 Ramp in 2026 • Figure Helix 02 Enables Full-Body Autonomy Demos • Boston Dynamics Atlas Production Advances with Hyundai/Google; Safety Risks Noted • Up to 100K Shipments Forecast for 2026 • European Humanoids (NEURA, Oversonic) Push Practical Deployments • Tesla Pivots Factory Lines to OptimusEarly February 2026 Humanoid Updates: China Holds 90% Market Share with Mass Shipments • Unitree G1 Sets Extreme-Cold Record (130K+ Steps at -47.4°C) • Tesla Optimus Targets Human-Level Proficiency & Gen 3 Ramp in 2026 • Figure Helix 02 Enables Full-Body Autonomy Demos • Boston Dynamics Atlas Production Advances with Hyundai/Google; Safety Risks Noted • Up to 100K Shipments Forecast for 2026 • European Humanoids (NEURA, Oversonic) Push Practical Deployments • Tesla Pivots Factory Lines to Optimus
Unitree's G1 humanoid completed a landmark extreme-cold test in Xinjiang, China, traversing deep snow autonomously while tracing a Winter Olympics emblem with centimeter accuracy—proving reliability in harsh environments for future industrial/outdoor applications.
Chinese firms like Unitree (5,500+ units shipped 2025) and Agibot lead global sales; Tesla acknowledges tough competition as adoption accelerates faster in China.
Helix 02 enables end-to-end autonomous tasks like unloading/reloading dishwashers across rooms—no resets, integrating walking, manipulation, and balance from pixels.
Figure AI retired its F.02 robots after successfully deploying them at BMW's Spartanburg plant for nearly a year. The robots contributed to production of over 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles and loaded more than 90,000 sheet metal parts. Robots operated daily on active assembly line, picking metal parts and placing them into welding fixtures with 5-millimeter precision within 2 seconds.
Boston Dynamics retired its iconic hydraulic Atlas robot and unveiled an all-electric successor designed for commercial deployment. The new Atlas is stronger and more dexterous than its predecessor, with movements that exceed human range of motion. Hyundai will begin factory testing in 2025 for automotive manufacturing applications.
Chinese robotics company Unitree unveiled the G1 humanoid at a breakthrough price point of just $16,000. Standing 130cm tall, the compact robot can perform a standing jump of 1.4 meters, exceeding its own height. China aims to mass produce humanoid robots by 2025 and establish market dominance by 2027.
Tesla's latest Optimus generation served drinks and interacted with guests at the company's robotics showcase event. Elon Musk announced plans to deploy approximately 1,000 Optimus robots in 2025, targeting a consumer price point between $20,000 and $30,000 for mass market appeal.
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer XPENG debuted its IRON humanoid robot featuring remarkably smooth, human-like walking. The robot demonstrates what the company calls extreme anthropomorphism with a graceful, natural gait. IRON is part of XPENG's broader Physical AI strategy scheduled for Q1 2026 launch.
Norwegian startup 1X opened pre-orders for NEO, the world's first consumer-ready home humanoid robot with transparent pricing and confirmed 2026 delivery timeline. NEO focuses on safe human-robot collaboration in residential environments, prioritizing household assistance tasks.
Agility Robotics secured industry's first commercial humanoid deployment under Robotics-as-a-Service model. Digit robots work at GXO-operated Spanx warehouse in Georgia, moving totes between autonomous mobile robots and conveyors. Named TIME Magazine's Top 200 Inventions of 2024. RoboFab factory targets 10,000 units annually.
Sanctuary AI released its eighth-generation Phoenix robot featuring revolutionary tactile sensors enabling sophisticated in-hand manipulation. Demonstrated capability includes manipulating 12-sided dice with precision. Enhanced touch feedback systems improve dexterity for complex tasks.
General-purpose humanoid developed by former NASA Valkyrie team stands 173cm tall. Partnership with Mercedes-Benz and Google enables learning through observation capabilities. Designed for diverse applications including elderly care and factory automation. Apollo raised $350M in funding to scale production.
Shanghai-based Fourier launched GR-2 with 53 degrees of freedom and upgraded 12-DoF dexterous hands featuring six tactile sensors per finger. Stands 175cm tall, weighs 63kg. Trained using NVIDIA Isaac Lab for sim-to-real learning. Battery runtime doubled to 2 hours. Over 100 GR-1 units already deployed.
Xiaomi advances CyberOne deployment on its own production lines. Robot stands 177cm tall, weighs 52kg. Designed for home care and companionship with ability to recognize 85 sounds and 45 human emotions. Features 3D spatial perception and can detect happiness, comfort users during sadness.
Industry pioneer founded in 2012 holds most humanoid robot patents globally. Partners with FAW-Volkswagen for unmanned automotive production performing sorting, quality inspection, and assembly. Proven track record in industrial deployment with established production capabilities.
Unveiled at World AI Conference with 43 degrees of freedom for highly dexterous manipulation. Integrated vision and touch sensors enable delicate object handling like bread without deformation. Backed by $140 million investment. Developed by national-local humanoid robot innovation center in Shanghai.
Height:185cm
Weight:80kg
Investment:$140M
Shanghai BuiltOpen Source
ENGINEAI SE01Fall 2024
Viral Sensation for Natural Gait
Chinese startup gained massive online attention for impressively smooth, human-like walking. Uses end-to-end neural networks with three stereo cameras for perception. Company founded 2023, plans 1,000 units by 2025. Expandable chest design allows quick head and hand module swapping.
2025 Goal:1,000 units
Cameras:3 stereo
Viral HitNeural Network
Huawei JimuDecember 2024
$413M Robotics Investment
Telecommunications giant Huawei invested $413 million in robotics subsidiary Jimu founded June 2023. Focus centers on integrating advanced AI with hardware manufacturing. Part of China's national strategy to dominate global humanoid market by 2027.
Investment:$413M
Founded:June 2023
Major FundingStrategic Move
NVIDIA GR00T2024
Foundation Model Platform
NVIDIA developed general-purpose AI foundation model specifically for humanoid robot training. Combines Isaac Lab with Omniverse platform creating virtual training environments. Provides critical infrastructure enabling industry-wide scaling. Used by Fourier, Figure, and other major manufacturers.
Toyota's humanoid designed as remote avatar controlled by wearable devices. Focuses on mimicking human operator motions through sophisticated control system. Applications in healthcare and household assistance. Toyota Research Institute partners with Boston Dynamics to advance AI models using Atlas platform.
GR-1 Bank Lobby Manager training base opened at CCB Shanghai Pudong Branch. Robot guides customers, diverts calls, conducts anti-fraud training. Part of Shanghai's plan to build 100 humanoid robot training grounds in 2024 for data production and system calibration.
Application:Banking
Location:Shanghai
Service SectorCustomer Facing
Market Outlook2024-2050
Explosive Growth Projected
Goldman Sachs forecasts the humanoid robot market will reach $38 billion by 2035, up from $6 billion in 2024. Morgan Stanley predicts deployment of 40,000 units by 2030, surging to 63 million units by 2050. China's domestic market alone expected to reach $10.26 billion by 2029. Manufacturing sector faces shortage of 3.8 million workers by 2033.
2035 Market:$38B
2050 Units:63M
Growth Rate:533%
Trillion Dollar MarketLabor Solution
Amazon Digit TrialOctober 2024
E-Commerce Giant Tests Humanoids
Amazon began testing Agility Robotics' Digit at Seattle-area fulfillment center. Robots move empty totes, work alongside human employees. Part of Amazon's broader robotics strategy deploying over 750,000 mobile robots company-wide. Represents major validation for humanoid logistics applications.
A journey through the most groundbreaking moments in humanoid robotics
January 31, 2000
Honda Unveils ASIMO
When Honda pulled back the curtain on ASIMO at their Tokyo headquarters, the world witnessed something extraordinary. This wasn't just another robot—it was a 4-foot tall ambassador of the future, walking up stairs with an almost casual grace that made decades of robotics research suddenly feel worth it. Engineers had spent years perfecting the balance systems that let ASIMO navigate like we do, and watching it recognize faces and respond to voice commands felt like science fiction stepping into reality. The robot became Honda's technological pride, touring the world and inspiring a whole generation of researchers to push harder. What made ASIMO truly special wasn't just its technical specs, but how it made people believe that helpful humanoid robots in our homes and workplaces might actually happen someday.
Sony decided to tackle one of robotics' toughest challenges: making a humanoid robot actually run. QRIO was small, standing just two feet tall, but what it accomplished was huge. Running isn't like walking—both feet leave the ground, balance becomes critical, and one wrong calculation means a faceplant. Yet QRIO managed to hit speeds of 14 meters per minute, landing each step with precision that required incredibly sophisticated control algorithms. The robot could also recognize faces, respond to its name, and even dance, making it feel less like a machine and more like a companion. While Sony eventually discontinued the project, QRIO proved that dynamic movement was achievable and set the stage for the parkour-performing robots we'd see years later.
The Fukushima nuclear disaster had shown the world that some situations are just too dangerous for humans. DARPA and Boston Dynamics answered with ATLAS, a 6-foot, 330-pound humanoid built specifically for disaster response. This wasn't meant to be cute or friendly—ATLAS was designed to go where buildings have collapsed, where radiation levels are deadly, where rescue workers can't safely tread. With 28 hydraulically-actuated joints, it could navigate rubble, turn valves, use tools, and even drive vehicles. The robot's sensor suite gave it incredible situational awareness, letting it perceive its environment in 3D and make decisions on the fly. ATLAS represented a shift in thinking about humanoid robots—not as companions or entertainers, but as life-saving tools that could operate in our most catastrophic moments.
SoftBank took a completely different approach with Pepper, designing a robot specifically to understand and respond to human emotions. Standing 4 feet tall with large, expressive eyes and a tablet on its chest, Pepper was built to work alongside people in stores, banks, and hospitals. What made Pepper revolutionary was its emotional intelligence—sensors analyzed facial expressions, voice tone, and body language to gauge how someone was feeling and adjust its responses accordingly. Within months, Pepper was greeting customers in hundreds of locations across Japan, answering questions, providing directions, and even cracking jokes. Thousands were eventually deployed worldwide, proving that people were ready to interact with robots in everyday settings. Pepper showed that the future of humanoid robots wasn't just about physical capability, but about social and emotional connection.
The DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals in California brought together the world's best robotics teams for the ultimate test. Teams had to complete eight disaster-response tasks: driving a utility vehicle, getting out and walking across rubble, opening doors, using power tools, turning valves, and more. Team KAIST from South Korea took the top prize with their DRC-HUBO robot, which could switch between walking on two legs and rolling on wheels for efficiency. The competition wasn't just about winning—it was about proving what was possible. Robots fell over, got stuck, and struggled with tasks humans find trivial, but they also succeeded in ways that seemed impossible just years before. The challenge sparked innovations in autonomy, perception, and manipulation that continue to drive the field forward today.
Boston Dynamics dropped a video that made the world stop and stare. There was ATLAS, trudging through snow-covered woods, opening doors with handles, picking up boxes, and—in the moment that went viral—getting shoved by a researcher with a hockey stick and catching itself before falling. The internet collectively gasped. This wasn't a carefully choreographed demonstration on a clean lab floor; this was a robot operating in the messy, unpredictable real world. The door-opening sequence was particularly impressive, showing ATLAS turn a handle, pull the door, and hold it while walking through—a complex series of actions requiring precise force control and spatial awareness. The video racked up millions of views and sparked debates about robot rights (should we be pushing them?) and capabilities (what else can they do?). It was a watershed moment that showed humanoid robots were becoming genuinely capable machines.
Saudi Arabia made headlines worldwide by granting citizenship to Sophia, Hanson Robotics' humanoid AI robot. It was unprecedented—no country had ever given legal status to a non-human entity like this. Sophia, with her remarkably lifelike facial expressions and ability to hold conversations, had already become famous through TV appearances and conferences. But citizenship? That raised serious questions. What does it mean for a robot to be a citizen? Does Sophia have rights? Responsibilities? The decision was controversial, with critics calling it a publicity stunt and others seeing it as a forward-thinking recognition of AI's growing role in society. Regardless of where you stood, Sophia's citizenship forced the world to confront questions we'll increasingly face as AI and robotics advance. The stunt worked though—everyone was talking about robots, rights, and what personhood might mean in an age of intelligent machines.
Boston Dynamics released another jaw-dropping video, this time showing ATLAS doing parkour. Not walking. Not carefully stepping over obstacles. Parkour. The robot ran across platforms, jumped gaps, and landed backflips with a confidence that seemed almost showboating. Each movement required split-second decision-making, perfect balance, and incredible force control to stick the landings. The backflip alone was extraordinary—ATLAS had to generate enough rotational force, track its position mid-air, and time the landing perfectly. Engineers had developed new control algorithms that let the robot plan dynamic movements in real-time, adjusting on the fly to variations in the environment. Watching ATLAS move with such athletic ability was surreal; it was starting to move less like a machine and more like an athlete. The video went massively viral, showing that humanoid robots were rapidly approaching human-level agility in ways that seemed impossible just a few years earlier.
In what became one of 2020's most-watched videos, Boston Dynamics showed ATLAS, Spot, and Handle dancing in perfect synchronization to "Do You Love Me" by The Contours. It was mesmerizing. The robots twisted, jumped, spun, and grooved with moves that were simultaneously precise and playful. ATLAS threw in spins and even did the running man, while the dog-like Spot bounced along and Handle glided around on wheels. The choreography required incredible control—each robot had to coordinate its movements with the others while executing complex, dynamic motions. More than just a technical demonstration, the video showed that robotics could be joyful, creative, even entertaining. It humanized these machines in a way that technical specs never could. The video earned tens of millions of views and became a cultural moment, reminding everyone that even as robots become more capable, there's still room for whimsy and fun in how we think about them.
Elon Musk took the stage at Tesla AI Day and unveiled something nobody saw coming: Tesla Bot, later renamed Optimus. A 5'8" humanoid robot weighing 125 pounds, designed to handle tasks that are dangerous, repetitive, or just boring. Musk's pitch was characteristically ambitious—Optimus would leverage Tesla's massive advantage in AI, computer vision, and manufacturing to build a general-purpose humanoid robot at scale. Unlike many robotics companies building small numbers of research platforms, Tesla aimed to mass-produce millions of units at accessible prices. The plan was to use the same neural networks that power Tesla's self-driving cars to give Optimus the ability to navigate and manipulate objects in the real world. Critics were skeptical—building humanoid robots is notoriously hard—but Musk had a track record of achieving seemingly impossible things. The announcement instantly made Tesla a major player in humanoid robotics and signaled that the technology was moving from research labs into serious commercial development.
Just over a year after the announcement, Tesla wheeled out an actual working Optimus prototype at AI Day 2022. Admittedly, it was early-stage—the robot walked slowly, waved to the crowd, and demonstrated basic tasks like watering plants and moving boxes in a video. But the fact that Tesla had built anything at all in twelve months was impressive. The prototype showed off custom actuators, battery packs integrated into the torso, and hands with 11 degrees of freedom capable of delicate manipulation. Musk acknowledged they had a long way to go but projected confidence that Optimus could eventually be produced for under twenty thousand dollars. The demo was polarizing—some saw a promising start, others saw an overhyped concept. Regardless, it proved Tesla was serious about humanoid robots and willing to pour resources into development. The bigger message was clear: the era of general-purpose humanoid robots was arriving faster than most people expected.
Figure AI burst onto the scene with Figure 01, a sleek humanoid robot designed explicitly for commercial work. Unlike research platforms, Figure 01 was built with real-world deployment in mind—warehouses, manufacturing facilities, retail environments where labor shortages were becoming critical. The robot featured impressive dexterity with articulated hands that could manipulate a wide variety of objects, from boxes to tools to fragile items. Figure AI attracted serious attention, securing partnerships with major companies and raising significant funding from investors betting that humanoid robots were about to become practical reality. The company's approach was pragmatic: start with structured environments where tasks are well-defined, prove the robots can be useful and reliable, then expand capabilities over time. Figure 01 represented a new wave of robotics startups focused on commercialization rather than pure research. With labor markets tight across industries and warehouse automation already proven by companies like Amazon, the timing seemed right for humanoid robots to finally move from labs into workplaces at scale.
Select robots with checkboxes → Click "Compare Selected" for a clean side-by-side table below.
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Select
Robot
Manufacturer
Height
Weight
Payload
Speed
Battery
Price (est.)
Status (Dec 2025)
Use Case
Tesla Optimus
Tesla
173 cm
57 kg
20 kg
13 km/h (target)
8 hours
$20-30k (target)
Limited factory use; ramping 2026
General/Home/Factory
Figure 03
Figure AI
170 cm
70 kg
20 kg
10 km/h
5 hours
$50-100k (pilots)
Pilots/trials; home emerging
General/Home/Factory
1X NEO
1X Technologies
168 cm
30 kg
25 kg
4.5-6 km/h
4 hours
$20k or $499/mo
Preorders; shipments 2026
Home Assistant
Agility Digit
Agility Robotics
175 cm
65 kg
16 kg
5.5 km/h
8+ hours
$200-250k or RaaS
Deployed warehouses
Logistics
Boston Dynamics Atlas (Electric)
Boston Dynamics
150 cm
89 kg
50 kg
9 km/h
6 hours
Partners only
Pilots/industry
Heavy/Dynamic
Unitree H1
Unitree
180 cm
47 kg
30 kg
12 km/h
6 hours
$90k
Available
Research/Agile
Unitree G1
Unitree
130 cm
35 kg
15 kg
7 km/h
2-4 hours
$13-16k
Available
Education/Research
Unitree R1
Unitree
160 cm
40 kg
10 kg
6 km/h
4 hours
$5,900+
Available
Budget/Dev
Apptronik Apollo
Apptronik
173 cm
73 kg
25 kg
5 km/h
4-8 hours
$50-100k (target)
Pilots
Industrial
Sanctuary Phoenix
Sanctuary AI
170 cm
65 kg
25 kg
5 km/h
5 hours
$150k+ (pilots)
Pilots
Dexterous Tasks
UBTECH Walker S
UBTECH
170 cm
63 kg
20 kg
5 km/h
24/7 swap
$45-65k
Available
Service
Fourier GR-2
Fourier Intelligence
175 cm
60 kg
20 kg
6 km/h
5 hours
$150k est
Mass prod 2025
Rehab/Industrial
Engineered Arts Ameca
Engineered Arts
170 cm
80 kg
Low
Stationary
Plugged
$100k+
Available
Social/Interaction
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ROBOTS NOW LEARN LIKE SMARTPHONES: Humanoids upgrade through SOFTWARE, not hardware:
• Hyundai Atlas: OTA updates (like Tesla)
• 1X NEO: Monthly software updates add new skills
• NEURA 4NE1: Shares learned tasks across ALL robots in real-time
This isn't a movie—humanoid traffic officers are now being deployed to manage busy intersections, enforce rules, and monitor roads using 100% AI and cameras.
