Experts Discuss the Future of Humanoids in Embodied AI at RoboCup 2026
- Published
- Source
- Robohub.org
At RoboCup 2026, AI experts discussed the advancements in humanoid robots and their potential future in robotics. Joydeep Biswas highlighted significant improvements in humanoid capabilities, including better hardware and learned controllers, which have allowed robots to operate more independently. The conversation also touched on the evolving landscape of robotics competitions, with RoboCup planning to focus solely on humanoid leagues by 2028, reflecting the growing importance of humanoid robots in the field.
The discussion underscored the relevance of humanoids in environments designed for human interaction, suggesting that they could serve as effective replacements in various tasks. Sabine Hauert noted the shift in robotics exhibitions, emphasizing the increasing presence of humanoids and their potential to enhance the robotics ecosystem. While some experts advocate for task-specific robots, they acknowledge the contributions of humanoids to the overall advancement of robotics technology.
Joydeep Biswas mentioned that RoboCup is at a pivotal moment, with plans to restructure competitions to highlight advancements in humanoid robotics. The integration of control and perception in humanoids is seen as a significant step forward, although the debate continues on whether humanoids are the optimal solution for all tasks. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Original report
AIhub coffee corner: Are humanoids the future of embodied AI?
Robohub.org · AIhubThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
Rights concerns? Contact [email protected] with the relevant URL and details. We will review the matter and take appropriate action where warranted.
More related news
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
-
7
RobotToday Weekly November 2 – 6, 2026 RobotToday · 5 days ago
- 8
- 9
- 10
-
11
FAIR plus 2027 – Shenzhen, Apr 21–23, 2027 RobotToday · 1 week ago
-
12
RobotToday Weekly October 26 – 30, 2026 RobotToday · 1 week ago
Related Suppliers
Boardwalk Robotics
United States
Pensacola-based humanoid robotics company developing Alex, a 19-DOF legless upper-torso humanoid for manufacturing and logistics.
Cyborg Robotics 赛博格机器人
China
Shenzhen humanoid robot maker focused on embodied intelligence for hazardous industry; produces full-size biomimetic humanoids and dexterous hands.
Hitch Interactive
United States
San Ramon, California embodied-AI firm that sells and rents AgiBot humanoids and runs HOPE, an official event of the 2026 World Humanoid Robot Games.
qfix Robotics GmbH
Germany
German educational robotics kit maker founded 2004 in Senden; aluminium-frame modular kits used in schools and RoboCup Junior competitions.
Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement
Korea, Republic of (South)
South Korean government agency promoting the robot industry through demonstration, certification, market expansion and policy support.
DOGU Robotics
Korea, Republic of (South)
South Korean developer of AI-powered autonomous security patrol robots for indoor and outdoor surveillance, detecting fire, intrusion, and hazards.
Shanghai Whalesbot Technology Co., Ltd. 上海鲸鱼机器人科技有限公司
China
Chinese STEM education robotics company offering 400+ robot kits for ages 3-22, integrating AI, coding, and competition-based learning.
ELU-AI (INFIFORCE) 原力无限
China
Hangzhou embodied AI company developing humanoid robots and Hyper-VLA foundation models under the ELU.AI Technology Group.
Tangible Robots
United States
San Francisco startup building Eggie, a wheeled humanoid with humanlike hands for household dexterity tasks, backed by Blume Ventures and Micelio.
Techsoft Robots 深圳市泰科智能机器人有限公司
China
Shenzhen manufacturer of humanoid and collaborative robot joint modules, servo drives, and dual-arm cobots for OEM and end-user customers.
KAIST RaiLab
Korea, Republic of (South)
KAIST mechanical engineering lab of Prof. Jemin Hwangbo that builds the RAIBO quadrupeds; RAIBO 2 ran a full 42.195 km marathon on one charge.
Vsim
United Kingdom
Cambridge, UK firm incorporated 2022 by ex-Nvidia engineers; builds the Vlab GPU robot simulator and Vlearn framework, backed by a $21.5M seed.
Robotics needs a service framework.
RSF defines a common language for robot service capability, lifecycle operations, certification pathways, and service-provider networks.
Join the RobotToday community on LinkedIn
Daily robotics news, in-depth analysis, conference highlights, and discussions with professionals worldwide.
