Technology firm Humanoid from Britain will use its humanoid robots at manufacturing plants owned by the industrial firm Schaeffler from Germany, reports Reuters.
The contract between the two firms entails an expected 1,000 to 2,000 robots for use in the Schaeffler manufacturing plants around the world by the year 2032, according to a spokesperson for the Humanoid firm. Details of the monetary value of the contract were undisclosed. Deployment of the robots is scheduled from December 2026 to June 2027 in two locations of Schaeffler in Germany.
Schaeffler factory launch preparations
Humanoid will also assist in integrating the robots within the production lines of Schaeffler. This comes after the two firms entered into a tech partnership previously disclosed in January.
Schaeffler will be trialing the use of humanoid robots in performing physical work in production and warehouse operations. Initial activities will entail handling boxes and materials within an already established manufacturing facility.
As part of the supply agreement, Humanoid has agreed to partner with Schaeffler as the preferred supplier of joint actuators until 2031, according to Sokolov. The agreement will see the fulfillment of more than 50% of the total joint actuators demand of Humanoid’s wheeled humanoid robot models. According to Sokolov, this agreement will entail more than 1 million units.
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RLWRLD captures data related to worker movement
As it becomes more prominent, there are companies in various industries using their premises for testing purposes of physical artificial intelligence (AI). AP News reported that RLWRLD, a South Korean AI company, is collecting worker motion data from various facilities such as hotels, logistics sites, and retail locations. Food and beverages employees at Lotte Hotel Seoul were monitored as they prepared the tables by folding napkins. Body cameras worn on the head and hands have captured workers’ movements and gripping actions for detailed service.
The same firm is collecting movement information from workers at logistics firm CJ Logistics on how they lift and manipulate materials in warehouses. RLWRLD is collaborating with workers from Lawson, the Japanese chain of convenience stores, to collect information on food displays. It is developing an AI software layer for robots capable of functioning in different industrial sites like factories. Its engineers are emphasizing the need to train AI for hand dexterity.
Robots acquire physical skills
RLWRLD employs human motion information to teach its robots, changing worker videos to readable data for machines. Further, the engineering team teaches robots by demonstrating themselves via cameras, virtual reality headgear, and motion-capturing gloves.
This data contains the angles at which joints bend and force used in performing tasks, says Song Hyun-ji from the robotics team at RLWRLD. This company also trains test robots based on collected data, including robots controlled by humans who wear special control apparatuses.
In one demo, a rolling robot that had robotic metal hands was shown putting cups on a minibar under the guidance of engineers. In another demo, a humanoid was shown opening a box to put a mouse inside before closing the box again and putting it onto a conveyor.
South Korea supports physical AI
Industrial application is perceived as the priority market segment for RLWRLD. According to RLWRLD, robots created for industrial applications are likely to be widely implemented on a large scale by 2028, which is considered a common timeframe among some leading companies.
According to Hyundai Motor’s future strategy, humanoids produced by Boston Dynamics will be introduced to its international factories over the next few years, beginning from 2028. Samsung Electronics announced its intention to make all its manufacturing facilities “AI-enabled factories” by 2030. This strategy will feature humanoids and task-oriented robots in production lines.
Labour trade unions express their worries
Labor unions in South Korea have also brought forth issues pertaining to worker data and robot implementation. According to union leaders, robot usage will pose a problem for employment issues and the skills pipeline. Kim Seok, director for policy at the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, pointed out that employers and the government should talk to employees regarding artificial intelligence usage. Skilled labor is still a human creation.
On the hospitality side, the Lotte Hotel plans to implement humanoid robots as cleaners and support staff behind the scenes. As much as current humanoids take around five hours to clear a single guest room, which takes less than 40 minutes for human workers, it is anticipated that by 2029, they will be ready for cleaning tasks.
Robot rental services at the Lotte Hotel are under consideration as an option that may prove efficient in hospitality industry among others. Park, one of the workers involved in the process of training the humanoids, indicated that they may eventually take 30% to 40% of back-of-house tasks. The ones that require human interaction, however, will be difficult to automate.
