<div id="readability-page-1" class="page">Millions of Chinese were glued to their television sets in February watching humanoid robots sing, laugh and fight in celebration of the country's Spring Festival.<h3>Claim 70% Off TipRanks Premium</h3><ul><li>Unlock hedge fund-level data and powerful investing tools for smarter, sharper decisions </li><li> Stay ahead of the market with the latest news and analysis and maximize your portfolio's potential</li></ul> Humanoid robots – powered by AI and semiconductors, built and designed to look like, and move like, human beings – took to the stage for the annual CCTV gala, the country's most-watched TV show and size equivalent to the Super Bowl. Robots from Chinese startup Unitree performed martial arts exercises and sword fighting; Noetix robots took part in a comedy sketch; and MagicLab robots performed a song-and-dance number called &#34;We Are Made in China.&#34; Indeed, China dominates the global humanoid robot market. It accounted for 90% of the 13,000 humanoids shipped globally last year. But they aren't all heading to the stage to be the next Chinese Barry Manilow or Billy Connolly. <h2>Industry, Surgery and Coffee</h2> Chinese company UBTECH Robotics (UBTRF) signed a deal with European aviation giant Airbus (EADSY) in January, which will see its &#34;Walker S2&#34; industrial humanoids helping to assemble planes in its manufacturing facilities. Chinese e-commerce group Alibaba's (BABA) R1, developed by its Ant Group's robotics unit, Robbyant, is being designed for a different role, serving as a chef or tour guide. Over in the U.S. – the other major humanoid hub – Tesla's (TSLA) in-development Optimus robots are already working in its offices and even showing guests around buildings. These robots will ultimately work in factories and carry out surgery on humans. Boston Dynamics has created Atlas, a humanoid robot designed for enterprise-grade industrial tasks, from material handling to order fulfillment. First deployments are planned for automaker Hyundai (HYMLF) and for Google (GOOGL) DeepMind, which is working on integrating foundation models into Boston Dynamics' system. Nevada based Richtech Robotics (RR), in collaboration with Nvidia (NVDA), has Scorpion, a robotic bartender and barista and Dex, a mobile humanoid robot designed for logistics and industrial tasks, while Amazon (AMZN) is testing Agility Robotics' bipedal robot Digit, also Nvidia-powered, in its e-commerce facilities. These innovations haven't just got robot and logistics fans excited. Investment group Humanoid Global Holdings (RBOHF) is building exposure to humanoid robotics across hardware, software and deployment enablers. It has made strategic investments in Agility Robotics and MBody AI, which is architecting the &#34;operating system for the physical world&#34;—a hardware-agnostic platform designed to turn any robotic chassis into a smart, autonomous agent. It has also invested in Apptronik, which is building the &#34;iPhone of robots&#34; with Apollo. It is described as a friendly, general-purpose humanoid designed for mass adoption. <h2>Defense &amp; Security – The New Frontier</h2> To date, these factory, home, health and entertainment capabilities have dominated the global humanoids market, which Goldman Sachs (GS) forecasts will grow in value from about $3 billion in 2023 to as much as $38 billion by 2035. RBC Capital Markets forecasts a global total addressable market for humanoids of $9 trillion by 2050. Some of that will be captured by a new frontier for humanoid robots – defense and security. Global defense spending on unmanned and robotic systems is forecasted to exceed $30 billion annually by 2027. Humanoid Global Holdings has described it as the 'Next Strategic Advantage' in the humanoid space because these robots can respond to several critical trends within the sector in an increasingly insecure world. That includes providing a solution to an ageing workforce and persistent recruitment gaps across the armed forces, logistics units and critical infrastructure protection. In addition, there is a shift from large, centralized platforms to distributed, software-defined systems that must sense, decide and act in real-time. The lethality of the war in Ukraine, and the large role played by drones in the conflict, have also sharpened minds to the potential of robotics and humanoids in the evolving world of AI. So, what exactly would humanoids do in this sector? Well, those early pilots in manufacturing and logistics, and yes, even those balletic dance moves, are proving that humanoids can handle repetitive and physically demanding tasks. In defense and security, that could be transferred to logistics, where humanoids could load and unload supplies, move pallets, restock armories and manage other complex activities without expensive retooling. This could, in turn, free personnel for higher-value mission. Humanoids can also operate in hazardous environments, from responding to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) attacks to ammunition depots and damaged infrastructure. Humanoids can enter these environments that can be too dangerous or simply too costly to expose humans to, while using existing tools and interfaces. When it comes to ensuring the security of critical infrastructure, humanoids can be equipped with advanced sensing, vision and autonomy. They can patrol bases, ports, warehouses and data centers, integrate with existing camera networks and access controlled areas and escalate to human operators only when needed. Humanoids could also help with training exercises, stress-testing tactics and protecting humans from the danger of friendly fire, mistakes or accidents. <h2>Robot Defenders are Coming</h2> This isn't just theory; defense and security humanoids are already in development. California-based Foundation Future Industries' Phantom MK1 is 5 feet 11 inches and weighs 176 pounds, and is designed for defense and heavy industrial tasks. It walks at a brisk-ish 4 mph and carries over 44 pounds of payload, including weapon mounts. It is purpose-built for environments too dangerous for soldiers — clearing buildings in urban warfare, traversing minefields, and operating in CBRN contaminated zones. It has reportedly secured around $10 million in government contracts and hopes to build up to 50,000 models by the end of 2027. They are understood to be in the testing phase with potential deployment around three years away, say analysts. Foundation CEO Sankaet Pathak has told Forbes that humanoid robots should act as the &#34;first body in&#34; during dangerous missions, potentially carrying lethal weapons. Although not strictly humanoids, Estonia's Milrem Robotics has delivered 15 THeMIS Unmanned Ground Vehicles to Ukraine to support logistics, casualty evacuation and route clearance operations, saving human lives during that conflict. In China, UBTECH's Walker S2 humanoids are being deployed along its frontier with Vietnam to support patrol, inspection, and logistics operations at the busy transit hub. Also in China, Unitree Robotics' robot dogs, which consumers can buy for around $1,600 to pad around the house and play with toys, are being used by the military in slightly more aggressive ways. Reportedly, Chinese defense firms have weaponized robot dogs with grenade launchers and rifles and have even trialled dropping them from drones into enemy positions. The UK also believes dogs are a soldier's best friend – its Ministry of defense has trialled Boston Dynamics' Spot robot dogs to begin defusing bombs. In Europe, where NATO countries are ramping up spending following pressure from President Trump, Poland's Si Robotics said it is building the humanoid supply chain for the defense alliance. &#34;Europe cannot depend on foreign technologies for something as fundamental as robotics. We're creating a fully European humanoid robotics stack for dual-use applications—ensuring economic sovereignty and strategic autonomy,&#34; its website reads. This includes creating humanoid-ready joints, developing a bot's cerebellum for reflexes and motor skills and an OpenAI platform that creates integration points for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and industrial systems. <h2>Crucial Cog in National Strategies</h2> In short, governments are explicitly prioritizing robotics, autonomy and resilient supply chains as strategic capabilities, not optional upgrades. Last year, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a drone and robotics Memo directing all service branches to accelerate the acquisition and fielding of drone and robotic systems. This included establishing dedicated robotic units within each service branch by the end of 2027, streamlining procurement pathways for commercial-off-the-shelf robotic platforms, increasing funding for human-machine teaming research and creating interoperability standards. In this sector, there is no patience for trial and error. There won't be any funny videos on social media showing an industrial robot toppling over or worrying images of a self-driving car swerving out of control or bursting into flames. Defense and security buyers are serious people, because defense, security and war are serious and costly businesses. Treasure means money, but also blood. It is why they are looking for production readiness, not just demos. They want proven uptime, safety systems and robust hardware supply chains. They are seeking interoperability, meaning the ability to plug into existing IT, operational technology and command-and-control systems rather than the need to create greenfield environments. Crucially, they are also looking for safety mechanisms to be put in place and clear responsibility frameworks that allow for human oversight. Finally, long-term support is a must – partners that can sustain upgrades, spare parts and software over multi-year defense procurement cycles. It is no longer a question of if humanoid robotics will matter, but who will control the platforms, data and supply chains when they start to don the combat uniforms and salute the flag. It means finding robotics providers and investors who can allocate substantial funds to the development of humanoids, create an ecosystem strategy, a strong supply chain and disciplined execution. Humanoid Global Holdings believes defense and security customers need trusted partners who can translate frontier robotics into deployable capability. This is why Humanoid Global (RBOHF) is making its move into defense and security now and beefing up its team to grasp the opportunity. As part of that, it recently welcomed Marc Theermann, Boston Dynamics Chief Strategy Officer, as a strategic advisor. Boston Dynamics has a long-held relationship with the defense sector having received early funding from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA. This included early contracts to develop the BigDog robot – to help soldiers carry equipment across hostile terrain – and the LS3 robot, which was a Legged Squad Support System robot. Boston Dynamics' main defense-orientated robotic system is called Spot. Alongside interest from the U.K., it has also signed contracts with the Dutch Ministry of defense for use by its explosive ordnance disposal teams. Boston Dynamics has pledged not to weaponize its general-purpose robots and software. Theermann's appointment comes as the sector transitions into enterprise deployment cycles. That shift aligns with Humanoid Global's mandate to evaluate the robotics value chain through a commercial readiness lens rather than a demo-driven lens. It believes that humanoids are moving from a &#34;year of hype&#34; to a &#34;year of credibility&#34; backed by rapid technological advancements, as well as strategic and operational needs. Humanoid robots in military settings can be concerning for members of the public brought up on dystopian images from films such as The Terminator or Blade Runner. The industry needs to be sensitive to this. They need to stress that humanoid robots are not a replacement for human judgment or initiative. They are a force multiplier—taking on dull, dirty and dangerous tasks so that people can focus on strategy, decision-making and mission success. That means keeping humans safe. <div>Investors tracking the defense-autonomy theme may want to add Humanoid Global (RBOHF) to their watch lists and follow upcoming portfolio and partnership updates.</div></div>

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The rise of humanoid robots in China was showcased during the Spring Festival, where they performed various acts on national television. China leads the global humanoid robot market, accounting for 90% of shipments. Companies like UBTECH and Alibaba are integrating humanoids into industries such as aviation and hospitality. The market for humanoid robots is projected to grow significantly, with defense and security emerging as a new frontier. Humanoid robots could address workforce shortages and perform tasks in hazardous environments, enhancing operational efficiency in various sectors.

- Millions of viewers in China watched humanoid robots perform during the Spring Festival gala, showcasing the country's dominance in the global humanoid robot market, accounting for 90% of shipments last year.  
- Humanoid Global Holdings is investing in robotics technology, focusing on their applications in defense and security, where spending on unmanned systems is forecast to exceed $30 billion annually by 2027.  
- The integration of humanoid robots in various sectors is rapidly evolving, emphasizing the importance of safety and human oversight as they transition from development to deployment.

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