2025-06-27
As global demographics shift and smart technologies continue to evolve, humanoid robots are rapidly transitioning from research labs to commercial applications. These human-like intelligent machines not only possess bipedal locomotion, multi-joint articulation, and human-machine interaction capabilities, but are also capable of performing complex tasks across diverse domains such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and public services—emerging as a key vehicle for next-generation automation technologies.
According to Morgan Stanley, the humanoid robot market is projected to reach US$5 trillion by 2050, with more than 1 billion units deployed globally, reflecting the technology’s significant economic value in labor replacement and service enhancement. Currently, companies such as Figure AI, Tesla, and Boston Dynamics are actively developing humanoid robots, which has driven rapid growth across the global supply chain and garnered considerable attention from the investment community.
In recent years, advancements in large AI models, mechatronics integration, and computing resources have accelerated the evolution of humanoid robots from prototype showcases to versatile work platforms, with application areas expanding to manufacturing, logistics, commercial services, and elderly care. According to estimates from TrendForce and Research and Markets, the global humanoid robot market will exceed US$2 billion by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate of 154% from 2024 to 2027. By 2035, the market is expected to reach US$38 billion, underscoring its momentum.
At present, global activity is mainly concentrated in the United States and Japan. In the U.S., companies such as Figure AI, Tesla, and Boston Dynamics are leading efforts to apply humanoid robots in manufacturing and service scenarios—Figure AI is set to begin enterprise testing in 2025, while Tesla plans to deploy Optimus on its own production lines the same year. Japan, leveraging its strengths in precision bionic design and affective interaction technologies, is focusing on medical care and entertainment applications. From a technical standpoint, modern humanoid robots are equipped with semantic AI comprehension, visual recognition, multi-degree-of-freedom actuation control, modular battery systems, lightweight high-strength materials, and multimodal sensing technologies. These integrated systems are enabling autonomous decision-making and intuitive human-robot interaction, greatly enhancing practicality and application potential. With ongoing advancements in AI and automation, humanoid robots are becoming a key area of focus in the global smart manufacturing and service sectors.
Although Taiwan has yet to producing complete humanoid robots at scale, its related industries remain in the early development stage, with activity concentrated in the research and supply of key components, module systems, and AI technologies. Wishing to leverage Taiwan’s strength in supplying complete robotics components, international tech leaders have begun forming local partnerships. Representative cases include NVIDIA’s humanoid robot supply chain initiative – which involves collaboration with Taiwanese companies such as Hota, HIWIN, Solomon, and TBI Motion – and assessment of the potential to establish an assembly base in Taiwan. NVIDIA has also partnered with Foxconn in Kaohsiung to advance the development and testing of service-oriented humanoid robots. Additionally, Georgia Institute of Technology has joined with Tunghai University to establish an innovation platform that incorporates international R&D resources.
These international collaborations not only highlight Taiwan’s technical strengths in mid-to-high-end manufacturing, AI applications, and systems integration, but also reflect the local industry's potential to participate in the global humanoid robotics ecosystem. At this stage, Taiwan holds four major competitive advantages in this sector: (1) a complete component supply chain encompassing core modules in mechanical, electronic, and sensing systems, supported by a highly localized and clustered industrial base; (2) strong integration capabilities in AI and semiconductors, with strengths in chip design and high-performance computing platforms that support AI inference and real-time sensing systems; (3) a flexible SME-driven manufacturing network with rapid prototyping and cross-domain integration capabilities that support fast iteration of new product types; and (4) expanding application validation environments that, coupled with policy-backed dual innovation platforms, foster technology deployment, industry-academia collaboration, and innovative pilot models.
To strengthen the field application and industry validation of humanoid robotics technologies, Taiwan has in recent years actively promoted the establishment of two core platforms: the Shalun Smart Robotics Research Center in the south and the Lioujia Innovation and Application R&D Center. These platforms focus respectively on perceptual algorithms, AI control systems, cross-domain integration, and field validation. The overall initiative encompasses upgrades to core component technologies, development of intelligent control platforms, cybersecurity and modular standards, as well as the cultivation of advanced R&D and application talent. With over NT$10 billion in planned investment, these platforms aim to integrate the R&D capabilities of both the public and private sectors, accelerating the commercialization and deployment of humanoid robot technologies in long-term care, healthcare, logistics, and education—ultimately positioning Taiwan as a regional base for smart robotics validation and solution deployment in the Asia-Pacific.
Humanoid robots are moving from concept to practicality and are becoming a critical pillar of the next global automation revolution. While Taiwan has yet to enter the stage of full-scale assembly and production, it has already built a comprehensive industrial framework that spans key components, AI chips, sensing systems, and manufacturing integration. With a flexible supply chain and a fast-paced validation environment, Taiwan holds strong potential for international collaboration and is well positioned to become both a manufacturing hub and a demonstration site for humanoid robotics innovation in Asia.
Source： Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) Industry Service Center Research Team
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