The global industrial robot industry is gradually maturing, and with the rapid development of AI technology, the humanoid robot industry is entering its nascent stage. Compared to industrial robots, humanoid robots are better suited for various real-life scenarios, allowing them to shift from specialized to general-purpose use, which increases economies of scale and reduces costs. Additionally, humanoid robots are one of the best physical forms to realize embodied intelligence.
Humanoid Robots Entering Factories
On January 15, 2025, Foxconn and UBTECH announced that they would establish a comprehensive long-term strategic cooperation in the application of humanoid robots in the field of smart manufacturing. Through testing and verification of humanoid robots in real manufacturing scenarios and technological innovation, the two companies will actively promote the practical application of UBTECH's humanoid robots in Foxconn's smart manufacturing environments.
According to the agreement, Foxconn and UBTECH will jointly advance and verify the feasibility of applying humanoid robots in smart manufacturing, and create pilot application scenarios. Based on Foxconn's current needs, UBTECH will select application scenarios and assess the technical suitability for tasks such as handling, sorting, gluing, quality inspection, labor health impact, and other appropriate positions for testing and implementation.
In line with the vision of establishing a "lights-out factory" in the future, Foxconn and UBTECH will jointly launch a collaborative project for the large-scale application of humanoid robots, aiming to further enhance the robots' mobility, perception, and decision-making abilities. Together, they will promote the implementation of humanoid robot solutions in the smart manufacturing industry. UBTECH, leveraging its leading technologies in AI and humanoid robotics, will assist Foxconn in upgrading its manufacturing intelligence, creating highly intelligent and flexible production lines, and driving the construction of robotic factories. Foxconn is committed to introducing UBTECH's industrial humanoid robot solutions into its production lines to automate relevant tasks in the manufacturing process.
It is reported that Foxconn and UBTECH will also jointly establish a humanoid robot laboratory focused on the smart manufacturing industry. Both parties will leverage their respective strengths to build this joint laboratory and further explore and promote the application of humanoid robots in the manufacturing industry, with a focus on developing standardized humanoid robot products for intelligent production lines. Notably, according to the agreement, UBTECH will become Foxconn’s exclusive humanoid robot partner.
The global humanoid robot track is becoming increasingly competitive, with many institutions predicting that 2025 will be the year humanoid robots enter mass production. Currently, UBTECH's industrial humanoid robot Walker S1 has conducted a two-month training session at Foxconn's Shenzhen Longhua factory, successfully verifying the feasibility of humanoid robots in logistics scenarios. In the second phase, UBTECH's industrial humanoid robots will enter Foxconn's factory in Zhengzhou, Henan, for further training.
Foxconn is the latest industry leader to choose to collaborate with UBTECH's humanoid robots, following BYD, Geely Automotive, Audi FAW, FAW-Volkswagen Qingdao branch, and SF Express.
