The Robotics Brief

1 · From the Editor

AGIBOT became the global volume leader: Unitree displaced

Global humanoid shipments surged nearly 300% in the first half of 2026, with AGIBOT capturing the top market share in this segment for the period and overtaking Unitree, which until now had been a major force in large-scale humanoid manufacturing with a cumulative output of roughly 18,000 bipedal units source source source. Displacement at this scale marks a pronounced transition: despite Unitree targeting post-IPO valuations up to $7.4 billion and reporting a Shanghai STAR Market IPO securing roughly $9 billion, shipment pace has shifted to AGIBOT for 2026's first half source source. For allocators, this reordering shows acute market risk for second-placers as customers reward actual volume leaders.

Unitree's repositioning comes despite ongoing R&D throughput. Three new humanoids—G1, H1, and the previously announced Superman quadruped topping 12.66 meters per second—joined their portfolio in this window, but it was not enough to hold the shipment crown source. Meanwhile, competitors like XPENG Robotics raised over $900 million and Figure AI launched field demonstrations such as its Figure 03 climbing a 15-foot industrial ladder autonomously source source. The willingness of capital to move behind product shows and live technical performance means that advantages built on production volume alone become transient.

For operators and investors, the leadership handover shows the volatility of market share in humanoid robotics, where output scale, field reliability, and capital formation are all in flux. Unitree’s CEO explained their choice to hold back from large-scale factory humanoid deployment even as cumulative output crossed 18,000 units source. In a cycle defined by outsized headline numbers from AGIBOT and rapid funding by XPENG, the market is rewarding those who translate manufacturing and deployment into quantifiable shipments rather than promises.

THREE THINGS TO TAKE AWAY

• AGIBOT leads humanoid robot shipments. AGIBOT overtook Unitree to capture the top market share in global humanoid shipments for the first half of 2026 source.
• Global humanoid shipments nearly tripled. Counterpoint Research reported a surge of almost 300% in worldwide humanoid robot shipments in H1 2026 source.
• Unitree's IPO targets high valuations. Unitree Robotics targeted a post-IPO valuation up to $7.4 billion and secured a roughly $9 billion valuation on the Shanghai STAR Market source.

On the radar for next week: Persona AI’s Gen 3 deliveries slated for end of year; LG’s Next-Gen Humanoid to be unveiled in early 2027.

2 · Headlines from the Week

Window: Thu, Sep 17, 2026, 12:00 pm CT through Thu, Sep 24, 2026, 12:00 pm CT. Ranked by consequence to capital, not by click volume.

01 · Cognex to acquire RealSense for $500 million in robotic perception

Cognex has signed a definitive agreement to acquire RealSense for $500 million, marking a material expansion into the robotic perception and Physical AI market. RealSense is known for its depth-sensing camera and vision technology, and the acquisition is part of Cognex’s strategy to diversify into robotic perception—a high-growth segment. The move broadens Cognex’s addressable market and product portfolio, while placing a large industrial vision specialist at the center of robotics hardware integration. For capital allocators, this transaction creates clear exposure to increased robotics adoption and convergence with AI, anchored by an executed deal scaling an incumbent into an adjacent market. The outcome is report-driven and the dollar value is confirmed by a signed agreement, setting this apart from intent-only announcements. source

02 · Qualcomm to acquire PickNik Robotics and retain MoveIt as open source

Qualcomm plans to acquire PickNik Robotics and continue the development of the MoveIt open-source manipulation framework. This integration brings MoveIt’s widely adopted robot manipulation platform into Qualcomm’s hardware and software stack, alongside Dragonwing and Arduino platforms. The transaction exposes investors to a maturing trend: major hardware players capturing IP and developer networks built around open-source tooling while pledging to keep critical frameworks open. The impact for robot manufacturers and integrators will depend on follow-through, but the deal is defined by a stated acquisition and stated commitments. This reported fact shows near-term shifts in the control-software field. source

03 · Einride adopts Nvidia Hyperion to accelerate autonomous trucking scale-up

Einride, a company focused on autonomous truck technology, is collaborating with Nvidia to adopt the Nvidia Hyperion platform. This move aims to accelerate the transition of Einride’s global freight network to autonomous operations at scale. The company claims its operations already serve global shipping customers, and the adoption of Nvidia’s platform is expected to improve operational efficiency and speed of technology rollout. This marks an executed partnership with immediate downstream consequences for both AI hardware adoption and logistics industry automation. Capital allocators see a real-world scale-up decision anchored in operational intent, but should monitor for any unit-level contracts. source

04 · Comau delivers battery cell formation and test system to Slovenia’s NIC

Comau has developed and delivered an industrialized, laboratory-scale battery cell formation and testing system to Slovenia’s National Institute of Chemistry (NIC). The customized turnkey system enables the NIC to support materials validation, product development, and cycle life testing—deploying industrial digitalization into the research environment. The contract couples direct systems integration with laboratory research, expanding Comau’s industrial reach into energy technology R&D. The observable event is a physical delivery and acceptance of contract hardware. source

05 · Common Vector Robotics wins $425,000 at Michigan startup competition

Common Vector Robotics, a Detroit-based manufacturer of rugged ground robots, has won a total of $425,000 in funding by taking the top prize in Michigan University’s PitchMI Startup Competition. The award includes $375,000 from the main competition and $50,000 from 20Fathoms. This event provides immediate non-dilutive capital to a domestic defense and aerospace focused robotics company, supporting product development or market entry. While the fact is reported as a competition win, it is based on a funding award with capital committed and not just a grant application. source

06 · Google’s Intrinsic open sources core industrial robotics platform

Google's Intrinsic division has open sourced key parts of its industrial robotics platform, including tools for robot control, vision, motion planning, simulation, and hardware integration. These ROS-compatible capabilities now become available for broader developer adoption, announced at ROSCon 2026. The release lowers the barrier for industrial robotics startups and researchers, making proven robotics software infrastructure freely available. This is a technology release, not a product sale, but it creates verifiable changes for developer-facing capital in robotics. source

07 · Epson enters collaborative robot market with AX6 launch

Epson Robots has launched the AX6, a 6-axis collaborative robot, entering the collaborative robot market for the first time. The AX6 is part of the AX series and is equipped for applications that require direct interaction between robots and human workers, using integrated safety features. This marks a material expansion for Epson’s robotics offering, enabling sales into new safety-sensitive automation sectors. The impact should be measured in unit deployments and sales contracts, but the product introduction is observable and confirmed. source

08 · Robotiq releases three open-source software tools for adaptive grippers

Robotiq, in collaboration with Nvidia, has released three open-source software packages for its adaptive robot grippers: a C++ SDK, an official ROS 2 package, and updated assets for Nvidia Isaac Sim. These releases are maintained by Robotiq, broadening developer access and integration ease for its hardware in the physical AI domain. For integrators and capital, this shows a product support and outreach move, observable through public github repositories. source

09 · Pickr.AI develops modular picking robots for existing warehouses

Norwegian company Pickr.AI has developed modular picking robots designed to slot into pre-existing warehouse infrastructure, including AutoStore, vertical lift modules, and other cube-based automated storage systems. The systems are designed for minimal disruption and compatibility with a variety of automated setups, reducing the need for costly modifications. This development positions Pickr.AI for retrofitting opportunities in logistics and warehousing, but currently shows a product capability rather than recorded deployments. source

10 · Toborlife AI launches full-body teleoperation for Unitree G1 humanoid

Toborlife AI has launched its full-body teleoperation software for the Unitree G1 Edu humanoid in the US, positioning itself as the first domestic training, data collection, and support stack for this robot. The system is available to US research labs, universities, and developers, facilitating local support infrastructure for applied humanoid research. This is a product release backed by available tools, but downstream adoption and resulting deployments are not quantified in this report. source

Also in the window

• Talent: Vesoma Emerges From Stealth With a Humanoid Built to Learn, reported source; Hello Robot — TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: Aaron Edsinger brings Hello Robot’s Stretch 4 to life onstage, reported source; Skild AI reaches $100 million in annual recurring revenue after 10 months, reported source; EIT expands AI initiative to robotics and launches European founders program with €80 million to give away, reported source
• M&A and listings: SoftBank Reportedly Agrees to Buy Marc Raibert’s Robotics Institute, reported source
• Policy and industrial base: Tesla Looks to Berlin Factory Workers to Help Train Optimus, reported source; China has commanding lead in physical AI readiness, OpenMind report finds, reported source; How Quality Management Software Keeps Robot Production Lines From Falling Apart, reported source; Why Infrared Windows Are Essential for Safe Electrical Inspections, reported source; IEEE — Barbara Mazzolai Wants to Build a New Field of Robotics, reported source; Hyundai Eyes Czech Factory for Atlas Humanoid, reported source; US project combines quantum AI and robotics for competitive rare earth supply chain, reported source

Late breaking — since press time (Sept 24–25)

• Unitree — Superman (quadruped). speed_ms 12.66 · Verified · source
• KAIST DRCD Lab — KAIST HOUND (quadruped). speed_ms 4.25 · Verified · source
• Google DeepMind — Gemini Robotics 2 (humanoid). humanoid added to the record. · Verified · source
• Unitree Robotics — timeline signal. Kicks off STAR Market IPO targeting post-IPO valuation up to $7.4 billion · Verified · source
• X Square Robot — product signal. Completed a live, uncut package sorting challenge using simple grippers, achieving 1,816 parcels per hour · Verified · source
• Figure AI — product signal. Demonstrated autonomous climbing of 15-foot ladder by Figure 03 humanoid robot for industrial mezzanines · Verified · source
• Tau Robotics — Deployment. operational; 0 units verified of 1 claimed. · Verified · source
• Unitree — G1 (humanoid). humanoid added to the record. · Verified · source

3 · Public Company Watchlist

Prices as of Fri, Sep 25, 2026, 8:58 am CT. "Wk %" is the close-to-close change across this issue's coverage window, using the last session at or before each edge. Market cap and price are quoted in each listing's local currency. P/E is trailing; "neg." means the company has negative trailing earnings, "n.a." that the source reports none. Data: Yahoo Finance.

United States and North America

International

How to read the tape

• Ouster posts strongest window gain among pure-plays. OUST rose 17.77% to $41.16, moving off the lower half of its 52-week range of $16.40–$63.79, with a market cap of $2.97B and negative trailing P/E. source
• Teradyne, Novanta, and AMBA outperform robotics capital equipment. TER advanced 10.86% to $391.47, NOVT rose 7.24% to $143.22, and AMBA gained 6.55% to $71.29; all closed well above the midpoint of their respective 52-week trading bands. source
• Rockwell, Zebra, and ISRG log mid-single-digit moves higher. ROK climbed 5.90% to $434.23, ZBRA rallied 5.69% to $367.62, and ISRG gained 4.04% to $399.02; each sits above its 52-week midpoint, with trailing P/Es between 33.7 and 45.8. source
• Aurora Innovation and Xpeng among weakest window movers. AUR declined 5.62% to $6.13 and XPEV fell 4.80% to $10.09, with both near the low end of their 52-week ranges and trading at negative trailing P/Es. source
• Sector proxy BOTZ almost unchanged for the window. BOTZ moved up 0.20% to $35.19, closing well within its 52-week range of $31.88–$41.71, with a trailing P/E of 33.5. source

4 · People, Product, Projects or Plans

One feature each week, drawn from one of the four categories, plus a shorter item from each of the others so the format stays in view. This week's feature is people.

THIS WEEK'S FEATURE · PEOPLE

Figure CEO Brett Adcock claims ROI for humanoids amid labor shortages

Brett Adcock, CEO of Figure, claims that early customers are already seeing real-world return on investment from the use of humanoid robots. This observation comes as companies contend with ongoing labor shortages, a dynamic Adcock identifies as a driver for adoption. The statement positions Figure’s humanoid solutions directly in response to workforce constraints and productivity demands source.

This claim is made as Figure continues to advance its product offerings, with the addition of the Figure 03 humanoid robot to its public record. The company has also demonstrated the autonomous climbing capability of the Figure 03 on 15-foot ladders for industrial mezzanine applications. These milestones show Figure working to address real-world operational challenges for industrial customers source source.

Why it belongs in an investor letter: Direct claims of customer ROI, especially in environments constrained by labor shortages, are early shows humanoid robotics may generate measurable economic value in deployed settings. Capital allocators and operators watching for commercial traction will view these reports as material when evaluating where robotic platforms fit in broader workforce and automation strategies source.

ALSO ON DECK

Product · Unitree’s Superman quadruped clocks 12.66 meters per second

Unitree’s Superman quadruped is verified at a top speed of 12.66 meters per second, putting it among the fastest legged robots documented to date. The company is positioning this product for scenarios that demand high-speed ground mobility from robotic systems source.

Projects · Unitree Robotics targets IPO with $7.4 billion post-offer valuation

Unitree Robotics begins its timeline for a STAR Market IPO, targeting a post-IPO valuation as high as $7.4 billion. The move positions the company for expanded financing and public scrutiny as it seeks to scale source.

Plans · Unitree Robotics seeks $9 billion valuation from Shanghai IPO

Unitree Robotics is securing a Shanghai STAR Market IPO with a valuation reported to be roughly $9 billion. The funding event will be a material test for investor appetite and capital access in robotics source.

5 · From the Workshop

How these machines are actually built and operated: components, safety architecture, data pipelines, compute and software cadence.

1. Quadruped sets speed benchmark at 12.66 m/s · Sept 25

Unitree's Superman quadruped reached a verified speed of 12.66 meters per second. source Why it matters. Speed gains for quadrupeds are directly tied to throughput in delivery and inspection tasks; faster units can cover more ground per charge cycle, which tightens labor displacement ratios.

2. KAIST HOUND quadruped records 4.25 m/s speed · Sept 25

KAIST DRCD Lab's HOUND quadruped demonstrated a speed of 4.25 meters per second. source Why it matters. Keeping pace with mid-range logistics needs, this entry can be matched against energy consumption per payload kilometer, which impacts OPEX for facility operators.

3. Gemini Robotics 2 expands humanoid class entries · Sept 25

Google DeepMind added a new humanoid, Gemini Robotics 2, to its record. source Why it matters. New humanoid platforms shift requirements for maintenance, parts compatibility, and integration testing timelines.

4. Simple gripper sorts 1,816 parcels per hour live · Sept 25

X Square Robot completed a live, uncut package sorting challenge with a simple gripper setup, reaching throughput of 1,816 parcels per hour. source Why it matters. Live demonstration at this rate shows potential for reduced end-effector complexity and lower capex in standardized sortation settings.

5. Figure 03 humanoid scales industrial mezzanines autonomously · Sept 25

Figure AI demonstrated its Figure 03 humanoid autonomously climbing a 15-foot ladder built for industrial mezzanines. source Why it matters. This eliminates the need for infrastructure modification or additional lifts in retrofits, reducing integration frictions for vertical tasks.

6. New Unitree humanoid enters the record · Sept 25

Unitree added its G1 humanoid to the formal registry. source Why it matters. Additional humanoid options expand supply diversity for buyers and integrators assessing labor substitution.

7. Figure 03 humanoid platform joins formal registry · Sept 25

Figure 03 was added as a new humanoid entry. source Why it matters. Tracking new platform entries is necessary for benchmarking reliability and support availability across competing humanoid lines.

8. ACT-2 model expands 'other' robotic records · Sept 25

Sunday Robotics' ACT-2 was added under the 'other' robot category. source Why it matters. Growth in nonstandard robot categories shows expanding solution space and may accelerate niche integration efforts.

9. Dyna-2 platform broadens 'other' robot segment · Sept 25

Dyna Robotics added its Dyna-2 platform as 'other' in the record. source Why it matters. The addition increases the available pool for edge cases or R&D uses falling outside routine humanoid or quadruped lines.

10. LG lists next-generation humanoid in formal record · Sept 25

LG added its Next-Gen Humanoid to official entries. source Why it matters. New OEM entrants may affect procurement cycles, support networks, and customer cost of switching.

11. Samsung proprietary humanoid recorded as new entry · Sept 25

Samsung's proprietary humanoid platform has been added. source Why it matters. Major OEMs testing proprietary variants may narrow integration risk, helping multinationals justify fleet upgrades.

12. EngineAI enters humanoid segment with T800 platform · Sept 25

EngineAI added the T800 humanoid to its catalogue. source Why it matters. New supplier entries force platform comparison based on real support, cycle life, and software compatibility.

6 · Made in the USA

The week's cross-cutting story: Supply chains and revenue growth shifted capital focus toward manufacturing capability

This week, U.S. robotics companies disclosed fresh funding signals, new technical achievements, and supply chain concerns. Agility Robotics announced plans to go public via SPAC in a $2.5 billion deal, targeting $620 million in proceeds—a further sign institutional investors are still seeking entry points to humanoid and logistics robotics source. Skild AI says it reached $100 million in annual recurring revenue within its first 10 months of commercial deployment, supported by over 60 paying customers and aggressive simulation strategies for robotics learning source source. Figure AI demonstrated a humanoid robot autonomously climbing a 15-foot ladder, indicating continuing technical progress source. On the supply side, Apptronik’s CEO warns that shortages of domestic actuators—representing up to 60% of robot parts cost—are hindering U.S. capabilities source. Tesla’s U.S. factory progress accelerated, but its supplier pipeline reportedly includes new audits in China and ongoing training data collection efforts, adding uncertainty about domestic content source source. For capital, both the pace of commercialization and access to qualified manufacturing channels overtook pure R&D progress as driving factors in new investments.

Company roundup

Tesla · Austin, TX

Recent weeks brought reported signs of acceleration in Tesla's Optimus program. A drone update of Tesla’s Texas robot factory captured near-completion of the steel and concrete building phase, but the company has not confirmed production timing source. Tesla’s reported new round of supplier audits in Ningbo, China, shows reliance on external components, while representatives confirm ongoing robotics work but stop short of verifying all new site activities source source. A decompilation of Tesla’s app code points to software groundwork for Optimus charging and home integration, though there is no confirmation of consumer releases source. Renders labeled “Optimus Gen 3” appeared in its Android app in late August and were updated in higher resolution in September, but these do not confirm final hardware source. Reports also revived discussion of using Berlin factory workers for Optimus AI training, but with unclear current scale source. Industry observers note that Chinese automakers are following Tesla’s approach with new investments in humanoid robotics source.

NVIDIA · Santa Clara, CA

NVIDIA expanded its robotics footprint this week through new product launches and software updates. The company released Jetson Orin Nano 2, a compact robotics computer offering 78 trillion operations per second of AI compute, 8 GB memory, and an eight-core Arm processor, aiming to lower power use for entry-level robotics and edge AI; the new module doubles inference performance over its predecessor source source. NVIDIA announced Isaac ROS 5.0 with new agentic workflows, enabling faster deployment of robotics AI agents source. Robotiq launched open-source software tools for its adaptive grippers, with official support for ROS 2 and updated Nvidia Isaac Sim assets; all are available and maintained for public use source. An executive at TechCrunch Disrupt said the robotics sector is still waiting for its breakthrough “ChatGPT moment” to accelerate mainstream adoption source.

Figure AI · Sunnyvale, CA

Figure AI demonstrated new technical capabilities with its humanoid platform. The company’s Figure 03 robot autonomously climbed a 15-foot ladder to reach industrial mezzanines, marking a verified demonstration of advanced autonomous mobility source. Figure 03 and Helix were both newly listed on the record as core robotic platforms this week source.

Skild AI · Pittsburgh, PA

Skild AI reports it reached $100 million in annual recurring revenue just 10 months after commercial deployment of its robotics AI products, with more than 60 paying customers in logistics, delivery, inspection, security, food, warehouses, factories, and data centers source. The company’s S1 arm was newly recorded this week source. Skild AI’s published account describes S1 achieving real-world soccer play after more than 140 years of simulated self-play, with human-referenced drills preceding the self-play phase source.

Agility Robotics · Salem, OR

Agility Robotics announced it plans to go public via SPAC in a $2.5 billion transaction, targeting $620 million in proceeds source. The company also verified a new deployment in Fremont, California, though the announcement listed zero confirmed deployed units to date source.

Boston Dynamics · Waltham, MA

Boston Dynamics added two robots to the verified record this week: the Atlas humanoid and Spot quadruped platforms source.

Apptronik · Austin, TX

Apptronik’s CEO warned that domestic supply shortages are slowing U.S. efforts to build humanoids, specifically citing a lack of actuators—a robot component that can account for as much as 60% of materials cost source. The company is working to build U.S.-based capacity for these parts, per the CEO source.

Common Vector Robotics · Detroit, MI

Common Vector Robotics won $425,000 in prize funding at Michigan University's PitchMI Startup Competition, including $375,000 from the main competition and an additional $50,000 from 20Fathoms source.

Toyota Research Institute · Los Altos, CA

Toyota Research Institute awarded the Yen-Ling Kuo Young Faculty Researcher Award to advance car reasoning research, as indicated in a verified funding signal source.

No confirmed in-window news, and deliberately not padded: 1X Technologies, Anduril, Aurora Innovation, Bright Machines, Carbon Robotics, Chef Robotics, Cognex, Diligent Robotics, Intuitive Surgical, Locus Robotics, Ouster, Palladyne AI.

7 · International and China

The week's cross-cutting story: Capital in Asia and Europe rotated as new humanoid entrants expanded

This week settled a major rotation in both capital and attention as Chinese robotics companies overtook global shipment competitors and European firms delivered new cross-border solutions. AgiBot surpassed Unitree in global humanoid shipments in the first half of 2026, claiming the top market share worldwide, marking a pivotal shift in leadership for this segment source. Unitree meanwhile kicked off a high-profile STAR Market IPO seeking a valuation up to $7.4 billion and a separate funding round targeting around $9 billion, with Shanghai as the anchor source. France’s Exotec deployed 127 Skypod robots in the Netherlands for GXO-Guess, and Italy’s Comau pushed new industrial battery solutions into Slovenian labs, per company reports source source. Korean companies added new AI-driven deployments and proprietary humanoids to records, and Japanese firm Epson entered the collaborative robotics segment, per company claims source source. Policy shifts and rare earth supply chain projects between the US and France appeared in parallel, increasing the complexity for capital allocation source source. For capital, this week reset competitive positions and added new policy and scale pressures to multinational robotics entrants.

China — humanoid developers

AgiBot · Shanghai, China

In the first half of 2026, AgiBot overtook Unitree to achieve the highest number of humanoid shipments globally, securing top market share in this segment source. On September 17, AgiBot was reported to have featured the A3 Ultra model in deployments spanning hotels, shops, and metro inspection, with customized solutions still part of its offering, per marketing materials source. The company is emphasizing expansion not just in volume but in operational scope across service environments.

XPeng · Guangzhou, China

XPeng is reported to have signed supplier agreements ahead of its targeted first humanoid robot production by year-end and convened its inaugural partner conference to address supply chain consistency at scale source. Recent demonstrations for its IRON robot reportedly included speaker tracking, language switching, and memory of customer preferences for store deployments source. Training innovations combine human demonstration with simulated recovery to improve manipulation skills, which reportedly resulted in measurable improvements during limited real-robot testing source.

EngineAI · Shenzhen, China

On September 25, EngineAI’s T800 humanoid was formally added to official records source. The company confirmed deployment at Luxshare-ICT’s factory; however, at the time of reporting, no units had been independently verified as operational source.

Unitree Robotics · Hangzhou, China

Unitree Robotics launched its IPO process on the Shanghai STAR Market, with a post-IPO valuation target of up to $7.4 billion reported as of September 25 source. The company has also secured funding targeting an approximate $9 billion valuation, according to a separate funding signal posted on the same day source.

Galbot · Beijing, China

On September 25, Galbot’s ET1 humanoid was officially added to the record source.

UBTECH · Shenzhen, China

UBTECH reportedly brought its Walker C1 humanoid to Slovenia as part of a five-country distribution and integration agreement with Hiproject, marking a step in the push by Chinese humanoid manufacturers into European markets source.

Europe, Japan and Korea

Comau · Turin, Italy

Comau reportedly delivered a laboratory-scale, flexible battery cell formation and testing system to Slovenia’s National Institute of Chemistry source. The system, designed to assist with material validation, product development, and cycle life testing, was developed as a turnkey solution integrating industrial processes with laboratory flexibility. This move supports research institutions as they approach new material and lifecycle challenges, per company statements.

Epson · Suwa, Japan

Epson is reported to have launched the AX6, its initial entry into the collaborative robot market, as part of its broader AX Series source. The AX6 uses power- and safety-focused technologies enabling safer human-robot interaction across various industrial applications. Company claims emphasize expanding options for customers needing enhanced safety with robots.

Exotec · Croix, France

Exotec, as reported, partnered with GXO Logistics to launch its Skypod System at a Guess facility in Venlo, Netherlands, deploying 127 robots with 60,000 rack locations and dedicated picking stations source. The project’s intention is to advance automation in fashion fulfillment for global brands.

Pink Robotics · Darmstadt, Germany

Pink Robotics had its P0 humanoid officially recorded as of September 25 source.

RLWRLD · Seoul, Korea

RLWRLD is reported to have outlined its "deployment-first" physical AI strategy at the Humanoids Summit Seoul 2026, prioritizing real-world industrial deployments as its first step before further development source. The company participated as a Technology Collaborator and featured speaker at the conference.

Samsung · Suwon, Korea

Samsung’s proprietary humanoid robot was officially added to records as of September 25 source.

Stäubli · Pfäffikon, Switzerland

Stäubli is reported to have integrated Eclore Actuators’ custom protective bellows across its SCARA robot lineup, resulting from a two-year industrial partnership source. This technology, first presented at Interpack in Düsseldorf, is intended to enhance the hygiene standards for robots operating in critical environments.

No confirmed in-window news, and deliberately not padded: ABB, Aldebaran, Deep Robotics, Doosan Robotics, Einride, Estun, Fanuc, Hai Robotics, Harmonic Drive Systems, Hiwin, Horizon Robotics, Hyundai.

Policy, export controls and components

• Robo Inc. was launched to handle domestic assembly, cybersecurity vetting, and integration in response to new FCC import restrictions, as verified on September 25 source.
• It is reported that a new US project is combining quantum artificial intelligence and robotics to advance a competitive rare earth supply chain, involving USA Rare Earth, Pasqal, and an industrial AI specialist source.

8 · Upcoming Events

Conferences, trade shows, workshops and meetups ahead. Dates are verified against organiser sites; unconfirmed entries are labelled rather than dropped.

Calendar notes

• Sept 22–24, 2026 features a major cluster, with ROSCon Global 2026 (Toronto), Humanoids Summit Seoul (Seoul), and Automated Happy Hour with SVR (Mountain View) all beginning on Sept 22, creating a calendar clash for teams and executives targeting multiple regions.
• A3 Advanced Vision & AI Conference (Santa Clara) overlaps with ROSCon Global 2026 (Toronto) and Humanoids Summit Seoul (Seoul) on Sept 23–24, further concentrating technical and business attention across North America and Asia.
• Robotics Summit & Expo 2027 in Boston is marked as dates unconfirmed, with several aggregators listing June 2–3; plans for participation or co-located events should be held pending official confirmation.