The Humanoids Summit in London provided a look at the state of humanoid robotics, moving beyond flashy prototypes to examine how these machines are being tested, deployed, and adapted to real-world needs. Across panels, keynotes, and demonstrations, developers and researchers outlined both the promise and limitations of today’s humanoid platforms, from industrial work to eldercare and open-source innovation.
One of the signs of this progress came from Agility Robotics, whose Digit robot is now in daily use at a logistics facility operated by GXO. Under a three-year commercial contract, Digit autonomously transfers totes between autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and conveyors. This marks a shift from laboratory proof-of-concepts to sustained operational use. According to the company, humanoids are beginning to demonstrate real return on investment, particularly when provided as part of a service model.
Similarly, Shadow Robot Company has developed advanced robotic hands that prioritize both dexterity and robustness—capabilities required for fine manipulation in complex assembly tasks. These are now being tested by industrial users who need adaptable automation in environments previously too variable for standard robots.
Meanwhile, assistive applications are also emerging. Australian startup Andromeda presented Abi, a humanoid companion robot. It has placed its system in 22 nursing homes. Rather than replacing staff, Abby fills interaction gaps in facilities where residents often go days without social contact. The robot’s customizable personality, including regional quirks such as a “sassy” Australian tone, is key to building user trust and engagement.
Safety, Standards, and Scaling Up
Despite these gains, experts emphasized that humanoid robots are not yet ready to operate freely alongside humans in industrial environments. Current deployments still require safety cages or other physical barriers to comply with regulations and prevent accidents. A new ISO safety standard (ISO 25785-1), now in development, specifically targets mobile, dynamically stable robots, which cannot rely on conventional stop-and-halt safety protocols.
These safety constraints highlight broader deployment challenges. For instance, introducing a humanoid like Digit into a logistics center involves more than delivering hardware. Companies must develop custom workflows, train staff, implement monitoring tools, and integrate the robot into existing systems. Agility Robotics noted that shifting from “a robot” to “a solution” required building not only the machine but a full support ecosystem.
Dexterous manipulation remains another technical hurdle. Shadow Robot’s advanced hands include stereo-optic tactile sensors and “n+1” actuation, allowing robust and adaptable movement. But scaling such precision across mass deployments—particularly in scenarios requiring variable object handling—remains a work in progress.
Open Source and the Developer Push
Other participants focused on growing an ecosystem for open-source robotics. Hugging Face’s recent acquisition of Pollen Robotics, makers of the Richie humanoid, underscores a strategy aimed at democratizing humanoid development. Richie, a modular platform with a strong developer community, is intended as a generalist robot that researchers and startups can adapt to their own use cases.
By leveraging Python-based tools, video-optimized datasets, and cloud computing, the partnership aims to accelerate adoption, particularly among non-traditional robotics users. Richie’s design also intentionally avoids the dystopian aesthetic often associated with humanoids, favoring a “friendly” appearance to encourage human interaction.
Booster Robotics, another emerging player, is focused on building a durable and developer-friendly humanoid platform. By reducing hardware fragility and integrating tools for simulation and reinforcement learning, the company hopes to lower the barrier for new entrants to the robotics field. It draws comparisons to the early days of smartphones, suggesting humanoid robotics may soon follow a similar adoption curve—if suitable development platforms and tools can mature.
Outlook: A Market in Formation
The summit made clear that the humanoid robotics sector remains in its early stages, but commercial traction, expanding use cases, and the convergence of AI and robotics are driving rapid development. Whether in logistics, healthcare, education, or consumer settings, humanoids are moving closer to practical deployment.
However, speakers cautioned that widespread adoption will depend not only on technical breakthroughs but on user trust, safety assurance, and adaptable platforms. As one developer put it, “We’re just beginning to understand how humanoids can fit into the human world—and we have to build that world alongside them.”
