Alibaba-Backed Dexmal Seeks $3B Value After Unitree IPO
Alibaba-backed Dexmal seeks a $3B valuation as China's robotics boom follows Unitree's 460% IPO surge to $66B.
Humanoid robots are moving from research labs and viral demo videos into factories, warehouses, and public events, marking a turning point for a technology long treated as science fiction. This hub tracks that transition: the engineering breakthroughs, safety certifications, and commercial deployments that are shaping whether human-shaped machines can actually work alongside people at scale.
Why now? Advances in AI models, particularly in perception and motion planning, have made it possible for robots to walk, grasp, and adapt to unstructured environments far more reliably than a few years ago. At the same time, manufacturers are under pressure to solve labor shortages, and humanoid form factors offer a way to deploy robots into spaces built for humans without redesigning entire facilities. That's driving real pilot programs on factory floors, new training facilities, and public demonstrations meant to build trust and visibility.
Readers here will find coverage of hardware milestones, like new sensor and safety systems that let robots operate safely near humans, as well as updates from the companies racing to commercialize humanoid platforms, including their partnerships with automakers, logistics firms, and other industrial players. You'll also see stories about robots stepping into public-facing roles, from sports events to consumer demos, signaling how these machines are being introduced to broader audiences beyond factory walls.
Expect a mix of technical progress reports, company announcements, funding and expansion news, and analysis of the safety, ethical, and workforce questions that come with deploying humanoid robots more widely. This is a fast-moving space, and this hub is built to help you follow it as it develops.
Alibaba-backed Dexmal seeks a $3B valuation as China's robotics boom follows Unitree's 460% IPO surge to $66B.
China's Beijing robot games showcased humanoid advances, crashes, Unitree's IPO surge, and debate over real buyers and AI breakthroughs.
Investors detail 25 top robotics startups for 2026 as humanoid, warehouse and construction automation funding surges.
DHS says no contract exists as Foundation pitches its Phantom humanoid robot for southern border patrol duties.
X Square Robot's WALL-B model sorted 1,816 parcels an hour at 98% accuracy, spotlighting China's robotics foundation-model push.
BYD's Xiao Di humanoid robot, with 31 degrees of freedom, debuts in Chinese showrooms amid US robot import restrictions.
Dyna Robotics hits 90% task success after training on 1M hours of video, as DeepMind, Agile Robots and armed-humanoid startups reshape robotics.
Figure's Figure 03 robot autonomously climbed a ladder, part of a wider humanoid robotics push amid new IPOs, bans, and skepticism.
Hong Kong's InnoEX fair showcased humanoid robots as the US imposed new import bans on Chinese-made models.
Humanoid robots advance with new AI models and pilots in 2026, but Tesla, airlines, and trials reveal real hurdles remain.
US restricts Chinese humanoid robot imports as America and China compete for AI robotics dominance amid new deployments and safety concerns.
Humanoid robotics sees a $152M unicorn round, Japan's first hospital pilot, and expert doubts about real-world readiness.
Foundation Future Industries builds armed humanoid robots for the Pentagon, raising ethics and Eric Trump conflict-of-interest questions.
Robbyant launches LingBot-Depth 2.0 and LingBot-Vision, joining a global race in robot foundation models and spatial perception AI.
Google DeepMind's Gemini Robotics 2 gives humanoid robots full-body AI control, arriving amid Tesla caution and new US-China robot trade bans.
Google DeepMind's Gemini Robotics 2 gives humanoid robots full-body AI control, amid new US bans on Chinese robots and airline restrictions.
Musk says Tesla's robotaxi and Optimus rollout faces major hurdles, as airline bans and a Computex mishap expose humanoid robotics' growing pains.
Logistics giants and startups are scaling warehouse robots and physical AI, even as Amazon scraps its Blue Jay system after limited use.
A Chinese firm ordered 2,000 humanoid robots for textile production, part of a wider surge in humanoid deployment, chips, and safety tech.
Coverage shows warehouse automation advancing via SAP integration, Amazon robots, humanoid demos, and Symbotic's acquisition-driven growth.
Shanghai Electric debuted hot-swap battery humanoid robots at WAIC 2026, part of a wider global push into industrial and specialized robotics.
Top Silicon Valley VCs say humanoid robots are overhyped, favoring wheeled and specialized robot designs instead.
China has opened a vocational school training 30 humanoid robots in skills like performance arts and security work.
Sonair launched ADAR One, a certified 3D ultrasonic sensor giving robots all-around human detection for safer operation near people.
Chinese firms are ramping up humanoid robot production for global markets, but demand still lags behind manufacturing capacity.
A humanoid robot named Atlas delivered the match ball at a Brazil vs. Norway FIFA World Cup game after learning to play soccer.
Analysis: tight labor markets and proven warehouse automation set the stage for humanoid robots to scale into real workplaces.
Figure AI's Figure 03 humanoid replaces Figure 02 at BMW's Spartanburg plant, now handling complex parts sequencing tasks.
Apptronik opened an expanded Austin training hub and unveiled Apollo 2, its next-gen humanoid robot platform.