Humanoid partners with Bosch to scale up humanoid robot production in Europe

Humanoid has announced a partnership with Bosch to bring its HMND 01 industrial robots into large-scale production, signalling a broader push towards automation in European warehouses and factories.

The agreement follows a successful proof-of-concept trial in Germany, where the companies tested the robots in a complex industrial setting. According to Humanoid, the robots demonstrated the ability to complete demanding warehouse tasks autonomously, paving the way for wider deployment across Europe.

Bosch to support production and development

Under the partnership, Bosch will take on a role that extends beyond manufacturing support. The company is expected to provide strategic advice and technical expertise as Humanoid prepares to scale production of its humanoid robots.

The agreement covers several areas, including hardware design, manufacturing processes, supply chain management and cost optimisation. Humanoid said the collaboration is intended to strengthen its ability to move from pilot projects to mass deployment within industrial environments.

The move reflects growing interest among manufacturers and logistics firms in using humanoid robots to address labour shortages and improve efficiency. While industrial robots have long been used in factories, newer humanoid systems are designed to work in spaces built for humans, allowing companies to automate tasks without major changes to existing facilities.

Humanoid’s HMND 01 platform is available in two versions. One model uses a bipedal design with human-like proportions, while the second features a wheeled base for faster movement and heavier industrial work.

The bipedal version stands around 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs approximately 198 pounds. It can move at nearly 5 feet per second and operates for up to 3 hours on a single battery charge. The wheeled model is significantly larger, measuring more than 7 feet tall and weighing 661 pounds. It can travel at 6.6 feet per second and has a battery life of four hours.

Both versions are capable of carrying payloads of up to 33 pounds, allowing them to perform warehouse and logistics tasks such as moving goods, sorting packages and transporting materials within industrial sites.

Robots complete warehouse workflow test in Germany

The partnership announcement follows a March trial in Bühl, Germany, during which the HMND 01 robots were tested in a live industrial workflow.

During the demonstration, the robots were tasked with transferring boxes from a conveyor belt to a trolley. The exercise involved handling five different box sizes with varying shapes, heights and weights, simulating the type of unpredictable conditions commonly found in warehouses and distribution centres.

Humanoid said the robots completed the tasks autonomously using the company’s artificial intelligence framework, known as KinetIQ. The software enables the machines to interpret their surroundings and respond to environmental changes without direct human control.

According to Humanoid, the trial demonstrated “both the technical readiness and scalability of the approach”. The company believes the results show that humanoid robots are becoming increasingly capable of performing practical industrial work rather than operating only in controlled laboratory settings.

The test also highlighted the growing role of AI-powered robotics in manufacturing and logistics. Companies across Europe and other regions have been exploring ways to automate repetitive tasks amid rising labour costs and persistent worker shortages.

Although humanoid robots remain expensive and relatively uncommon compared with traditional industrial machines, advances in AI and hardware design have accelerated development in recent years. Technology firms and investors have increasingly focused on systems that can operate alongside human workers in existing environments.

Future models could include Bosch components

Bosch’s involvement in the partnership may expand further as the project develops. The company said components such as actuators, drives and sensors could eventually be integrated directly into future versions of the HMND 01 platform.

This would deepen Bosch’s role in both the production and technological development of Humanoid’s robotics systems. The collaboration could also help Humanoid reduce manufacturing costs and improve reliability as it scales operations.

The agreement reflects a broader trend in the robotics industry, where specialised AI firms are partnering with established industrial manufacturers to accelerate commercial deployment. Large engineering companies bring experience in production, quality control and supply chain management, while robotics start-ups contribute software innovation and machine learning expertise.

Humanoid has not disclosed how many robots are expected to be deployed in Europe or when mass production will begin. However, the company indicated that the successful completion of the proof-of-concept stage marked an important step towards broader commercial adoption.

As competition in humanoid robotics intensifies globally, partnerships such as this are likely to play a significant role in determining which companies can move from experimental prototypes to practical industrial systems used at scale.