Humanoid robots in 2026: overview
Humanoid robots use a human-like body form to work in places designed for people, potentially making them useful where changing existing infrastructure is difficult. Their practical value depends on more than walking: robots must perceive objects, manipulate them with control, and move safely around people. The field is therefore combining embodied AI and autonomy with advances in hands, tactile sensing, actuation and whole-body control. Reliability, energy use and safe interaction remain substantial engineering challenges.
Recent work is narrowing the gap between general-purpose claims and specific tasks. In September 2026, Hanoi University of Science and Technology reported a forearm with distributed, vision-based tactile skin, addressing full-surface contact perception. In June 2026, Nvidia, Unitree and Sharpa introduced a research reference platform that combines a robot chassis, dexterous hands and computing hardware. Other research is targeting shelf picking, construction finishing and reactive movement, while deployments and trials focus on defined industrial and logistics work. The direction is toward task-specific systems that can learn and adapt, but robust performance outside controlled settings remains a key hurdle.
- 1From demos to tasks: Research on shelf picking and construction finishing points toward evaluating humanoids by reliable task completion, not movement demonstrations alone.
- 2Touch matters: Hanoi University of Science and Technology’s September 2026 vision-based tactile forearm highlights how contact sensing can improve manipulation and safer interaction.
- 3Platforms take shape: Nvidia, Unitree and Sharpa’s June 2026 reference design reflects a push to give developers shared hardware and software foundations for humanoid systems.
Top organizations working on humanoid robots
Ranked by Linknovate activity score · last 24 monthsThe activity score adds up the relevance of every patent, publication, grant and news item linking an organization to humanoid robots. Showing 7 of 1,162 organizations.
| # | Organization | Approach | Signals (24 mo) | Momentum | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Nvidia
Corporate · United States |
Embodied AI and autonomy | PAT 22 · PUB 13 NEWS 1,811 |
-4% | NVIDIA supplies computing, simulation and robotics software for humanoid development, including the Isaac and GR00T ecosystem used to train and build robot systems. |
| 2 | 
Boston Dynamics
Corporate · United States |
Bipedal locomotion and balance | PAT 2 · PUB 2 NEWS 882 |
+0% | Atlas is Boston Dynamics’ humanoid platform, developed to demonstrate dynamic movement and support work in industrial environments. |
| 3 | 
Google
Corporate · United States |
Embodied AI and autonomy | PUB 3 · NEWS 1,984 | -19% | Google has demonstrated Gemini-powered robotics with the ALOHA 2 platform, applying language and vision models to help robots carry out physical tasks. |
| 4 | 
Agility Robotics Inc.
Startup · United States |
Bipedal locomotion and balance | PAT 3 · NEWS 387 | -13% | Recently, Agility released Digit 5, a new version of its humanoid, with safety features intended to let it stop or squat around human coworkers. |
| 5 | 
Unitree Robotics
Startup · China |
Bipedal locomotion and balance | PUB 1 · NEWS 374 | +246% | Unitree builds humanoid and quadruped robots and contributed the robot chassis to NVIDIA’s Isaac GR00T humanoid reference platform. |
| 6 | 
Meta Inc
Corporate · United States |
Embodied AI and autonomy | NEWS 696 | -34% | Recently, Meta acquired Assured Robot Intelligence and has tested robots for data-center tasks such as plugging in cables and resetting servers, alongside its broader push into humanoid robotics. |
| 7 | 
Tesla Motors
Corporate · United States |
Embodied AI and autonomy | NEWS 554 | +679% | Tesla is developing Optimus, a general-purpose humanoid robot intended for tasks in factories and other work settings. |
| 8 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 9 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 10 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
Startups to watch and leading research centers
Startups to watch 13 total
- Agility Robotics Inc.United StatesRecently, Agility released Digit 5, a new version of its humanoid, with safety features intended to let it stop or squat around human coworkers.
ApptronikUnited StatesApptronik develops Apollo, a general-purpose humanoid designed for physically demanding tasks in settings such as manufacturing and warehousing.
Figure AIUnited StatesFigure AI develops general-purpose humanoid robots, including the Figure 01 and Figure 02 platforms, for autonomous work in human environments.- ··Hidden startupCountryAvailable to registered users, with funding and founding year.
- ··Hidden startupCountryAvailable to registered users, with funding and founding year.
Leading research institutions 1,012 total
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnited StatesMIT researchers work on humanoid locomotion and control, including methods that combine reinforcement learning with model-predictive control. MIT was founded in 1861, not 1985.
Italian Institute of TechnologyItalyRecently, IIT researchers developed and tested the human-aware ergoCub humanoid, and their work also addresses coordinated bimanual manipulation and cognitive architectures for robots.
Stanford UniversityUnited StatesRecently, Stanford researchers presented BeyondMimic, a method using guided diffusion to translate motion tracking into versatile humanoid control. Stanford was founded in 1885, not 1893.- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
Where humanoid robots innovation happens
Share of documents with at least one organization from each country.
Open the interactive map with all 1,162 organizationsMain technical approaches
Last 24 months| Approach | What it is | Documents | Leading organizations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bipedal locomotion and balance | This approach develops stable, dynamic walking and recovery; it can navigate human spaces but must manage falls, uneven ground and energy use. | 257 |
Boston Dynamics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Nvidia |
| Dexterous manipulation | This approach builds hands and control for varied object handling; greater dexterity expands task options but increases sensing and control complexity. | 1,022 |
Boston Dynamics, Nvidia, HANNOVER MESSE |
| Embodied AI and autonomy | This approach links perception, learning and action in the robot; it supports adaptation but depends on reliable data, models and real-world validation. | 1,979 |
Nvidia, Boston Dynamics, Google |
| Learning and teleoperation | This approach uses demonstrations or remote control to teach tasks; it can speed skill acquisition but requires human input and robust transfer to new settings. | 1,792 |
Nvidia, Boston Dynamics, Google |
| Actuation and compliant hardware | This approach designs motors, joints and compliant structures for controlled movement; softness can improve safety but may limit precision or load capacity. | 180 |
Boston Dynamics, Agility Robotics Inc., Figure AI |
| Social interaction and safety | This approach addresses communication, trust and safe behavior around people; human-aware design supports adoption but must avoid unpredictable or misleading interaction. | 1,351 |
Boston Dynamics, Nvidia, Agility Robotics Inc. |
Emerging trends
Last 12 months vs previous 36 monthsTerms whose frequency in the last 12 months grew the most compared with the previous 36 months.
Funding and investment
Recent funding rounds
Funding data records $152,913,072 in grants across 115 grants since 2020. These figures describe grant funding; recorded investment-round totals are separate.
Patent landscape
Top patent holders · last 24 monthsRecent developments
Latest news, duplicates removed- Oct 2026A humanoid robot that reuses Android smartphones for vision, motion sensing and computing, potentially lowering hardware costs and making robotics research more accessible to students. A smartphone-powered humanoid…Electronics For You
- Sep 2026If there is one thing robotics founders and investors agree on, it’s that the “ChatGPT moment” where a general-purpose robot can seamlessly adapt to any environment has not arrived. Opinions vary on whether the…TechCrunch
- Jun 2026Nvidia just gave humanoid robotics a common blueprint at Computex in Taipei, stitching together a Unitree chassis, Sharpa’s five-fingered hands, and its own Jetson AGX Thor brain into a research-ready template. The…TechBullion
- Jun 2026Nvidia unveils Isaac GR00T Reference Humanoid Robot for research and development. Nvidia has introduced the Isaac GR00T Reference Humanoid Robot, a research reference design for developing and testing humanoid robot…forklog.media
- Month 20XXHidden developmentAvailable to registered users with alerts enabled.
Frequently asked questions about humanoid robots
What companies are working on humanoid robots?
Nvidia, Boston Dynamics, Google, Agility Robotics Inc., Unitree Robotics, Tesla Motors and Apptronik are among the organizations working on humanoid robots. Their activities span computing and robotics software, locomotion, general-purpose robot development and embodied AI. Figure AI is another startup developing humanoid platforms for autonomous work in human environments.
Which humanoid robot startups are the most promising in 2026?
Agility Robotics Inc., Apptronik and Figure AI are listed as humanoid robotics startups in the available company data. Agility develops Digit, Apptronik develops Apollo for physically demanding work, and Figure AI develops general-purpose humanoid platforms. These descriptions indicate different areas of activity; they do not establish which company will perform best commercially.
Who are the main humanoid robot manufacturers or suppliers?
Boston Dynamics, Agility Robotics Inc., Unitree Robotics, Apptronik and Figure AI are among the named humanoid robot developers. Nvidia supplies computing, simulation and robotics software, while its Isaac GR00T reference platform was introduced with Unitree and Sharpa. These organizations span complete robot development as well as enabling hardware and software.
Which universities and research centers lead humanoid robot research?
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Italian Institute of Technology and Stanford University are prominent research organizations in the data. Their work includes locomotion and control, human-aware humanoids, manipulation and motion learning. Recent research also comes from Hanoi University of Science and Technology, which reported work on tactile perception for humanoid robot forearms.
How much funding has humanoid robotics received?
The data records $152,913,072 in grants across 115 grants since 2020. It also lists 53 funding rounds, but the round total is tracked separately from grant funding. The figures indicate substantial funding activity, though they should not be treated as a single combined investment amount.
Who holds the most humanoid robot patents?
Figure AI leads the listed patent holders with 76 patents. Nvidia has 22, followed by Apptronik with 10 and SoftBank Group Corporation with 8. These counts identify the leading holders in the available patent-holder data; they do not measure patent quality or commercial value.
Is humanoid robot patent activity growing?
Patent activity declined 18.2% in the comparison period, with 260 patents recorded in the 24-month window. Publication activity moved in the opposite direction: the latest-year publication count was 1,897, up 2.4%. These measures suggest continued research activity alongside a softer recent patent trend.
What are the latest developments in humanoid robots?
Recent developments include a vision-based tactile forearm from Hanoi University of Science and Technology, reported in September 2026, and a research reference platform introduced by Nvidia, Unitree and Sharpa in June 2026. Other work addresses shelf-picking control, construction surface finishing and reactive soccer skills, showing interest in both practical tasks and embodied control.
What are the main approaches in humanoid robots, and how do they differ?
The main approaches are bipedal locomotion and balance, dexterous manipulation, embodied AI and autonomy, learning and teleoperation, actuation and compliant hardware, and social interaction and safety. They address different bottlenecks: movement, object handling, decision-making, skill acquisition, physical design and human-facing behavior. Practical systems often need several approaches working together.
What are the applications of humanoid robots?
The listed applications are manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, domestic assistance, healthcare and companionship, and hazardous or remote environments. Manufacturing and logistics focus on physical work in human-oriented settings, while healthcare and domestic uses involve closer interaction. Each application brings different requirements for reliability, manipulation, safety and human supervision.