March 10, 2025. The potential of humanoid robots is often praised, but concrete applications are still rare. A study published by Fraunhofer IPA as part of the AI Progress Center analyzes the status quo and uses research, interviews and surveys to derive recommendations for meaningful industrial use.
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News about humanoid robots, typically with two arms and optionally two legs or a mobile platform, is currently coming thick and fast. New models or capabilities and sometimes massive investments in the technology can be found regularly in the media. However, real pilot deployments of humanoids are still rare. This raises the question of what added value this technology can actually bring to companies and what is needed to put it into practice.
Based on over 100 responses from industry experts, a new study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA provides answers. Material handling, machine loading and gripping complex objects were the most frequently cited possible and sensible application scenarios for humanoids. Compared to previous solutions, humanoids should stand out in particular due to their flexibility in performing various tasks. Werner Kraus, Head of the Automation and Robotics research department and co-editor of the study, explains: “In my opinion, it is precisely the combination of possible changes of location and flexible gripping technology that is ‘gamechanging’. This is because it can also be used to automate tasks in existing plants, the brownfield, with little integration effort.”
However, the respondents to the study are currently still cautious about the technical possibilities of humanoids. According to the survey results, from a technological perspective, humanoids will probably initially perform tasks where accuracy, system stability or process speed are less relevant as robot capabilities. For example, the transportation of crates was often seen as a possible task. However, 60 percent of respondents doubt whether humanoids need to have two legs for the desired tasks. They find a wheel-driven platform or even a stationary application with a two-armed robot more practical.
The biggest challenge in practical use is functional safety, which is currently still largely unclear and poses particular challenges due to the robot design, for example in terms of stability. “That’s why I don’t see mixed operation with humans as a likely scenario for initial deployments for the time being,” says Kraus.
Overly high expectations and uncertainty about cost-effectiveness are further hurdles that companies currently see. Around half of all respondents would be prepared to pay up to 100,000 euros for a humanoid. Simon Schmidt, Business Unit Manager at Fraunhofer IPA and co-author of the study, summarizes: “In my opinion, the successful use of humanoids will not only require use cases that are technically possible, but also business cases that are economically interesting.”
A major trend is emerging with regard to the estimated timeframe for when humanoids could be used in practice. Only 6 percent of respondents see them being used in industrial applications within the next two years. At 74 percent, a large majority see a possible use in 3 to 10 years as realistic.
The team of authors led by Simon Schmidt, Joshua Beck, Lasse Höltge, Alexandra Huber and Ramez Awad developed the study in four stages. First, the team conducted research to gain a scientific and technical overview of humanoids. This was followed by expert interviews with system integrators and potential end users on the state of the art, potential applications and future challenges. Building on this qualitative data, quantitative data was collected with the help of a survey. The German Engineering Federation (VDMA) provided support here in order to obtain as much feedback as possible. In the final step, the team evaluated the data and derived recommendations for action.
The study was funded by the Baden-WĂĽrttemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism and is a result of the AI Progress Center “Learning Systems and Cognitive Robotics”. The AI Progress Center is run jointly by Fraunhofer IPA and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO and aims to bring artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics applications into business practice. One focus of its work is the “Learning Systems” study series, which includes the study on humanoids and is currently being expanded to include further publications on AI and cognitive robotics.
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