*Source: https://m.etnews.com/20251105000404?obj=Tzo4OiJzdGRDbGFzcyI6Mjp7czo3OiJyZWZlcmVyIjtOO3M6NzoiZm9yd2FyZCI7czoxMzoid2ViIHRvIG1vYmlsZSI7fQ%3D%3D

● Samsung’s Humanoid Robots A Game-Changer in Automation

“Samsung to Launch Soon”…The Speed of Humanoid Transformation and Investment & Industry Opportunities Shown by RoboWorld 2025 — AI, Robotics, Smart Factory, and Automation Strategies at a Glance

The following topics are included:

• Key messages revealed at RoboWorld 2025 and the current status of Samsung’s humanoid development.
• Concrete progress and commercialization timeline of the startup and component (actuator, sensor, battery) ecosystem.
• Analysis of competitive strategies by major Japanese and Chinese companies and the global competitive landscape.
• Industrial and economic impacts of smart factories and logistics automation, and key investment points.
• ‘Most Important Insight’ not well covered in other news or YouTube (Samsung’s vertical integration strategy, edge AI & HBM bottlenecks, battery & safety & regulatory risks).

Organize the content methodically for direct use by readers, grouping and categorizing information.(Keywords: AI, Robotics, Humanoid, Smart Factory, Automation)

1) Key News Summary — Core Points of RoboWorld 2025

Samsung Electronics Announcement: Accelerating Humanoid Development.Oh Joon-ho, head of Samsung’s Future Robotics Task Force, stated that though humanoids are an early market, there is a significant need for them in industrial sites like factories. He unveiled the hardware development of actuators, software, and robotic hands, as well as collaboration with big tech companies.Samsung expressed its intent to internalize even core hardware components, hinting that a prototype will be available “soon.”

Startup Exhibitions & Prototypes:Airobot showcased a wheelbase-equipped hybrid humanoid ‘Alice M1’.Unique Robotics exhibited a prototype humanoid for factory automation aiming for a complete product by the end of next year.SPG revealed small and lightweight actuators for humanoids, announcing supply to a global large enterprise subsidiary.

Participation of Foreign Companies:Japan’s FANUC showcased a 30kg payload collaborative robot (first-time participant in RoboWorld).China’s Leader Drive exhibited reducers, and Unitree caught attention with a humanoid boxing demonstration (product & performance-focused).

Exhibition Scale:With over 300 domestic and over 50 foreign companies, it was the largest ever. Government and private sectors are focusing on Physical AI.

2) Detailed Analysis by Technology/Product

Actuators (Motors & Reducers) and Robotic Hands:

• Importance: The natural movement of humanoids is determined by actuator performance (torque, responsiveness, and weight) and precise robotic hands and multi-axis joints.
• Current Status: Domestic companies like SPG are developing lightweight and compact products, with some supplying to global large enterprise subsidiaries.
• Significance: Actuators are a ‘differentiation point’. If a few manufacturers establish the technical standards, they can dominate the market.

Mobility: Walking vs. Wheels (Hybrid)

• Wheel-based humanoids like Airobot’s ‘Alice M1’ are advantageous for initial commercialization, cost, and stability.
• Bipedal movement is complex but has advantages for human-friendly tasks or accessing narrow environments.
• Trend: Initially wheels and hybrids → gradual extension to walking represents a realistic ‘phased commercialization.’

Sensors, Cameras, and Software (Physical AI):

• Core: High-performance sensors and real-time edge AI are crucial for environmental perception and interaction.
• Bottleneck: The dependency on high bandwidth memory (HBM) and edge AI semiconductors for large-scale computations entails cost and supply risks.

Battery & Energy Management:

• For industrial and field robots, battery density and safety are key.
• The potential collaboration with SK’s battery sector (as in the case with Unique Robotics) can connect to competitive integrated battery-robot solutions.

3) Industrial & Economic Impacts

Promoting Smart Factories & Logistics Automation:

• Factory automation demand is a key driver for humanoid needs.
• Initial applications: Repetitive, hazardous tasks, assembly line assistance, logistics picking and transporting (especially wheel-type humanoids).

Employment & Task Restructuring:

• Rapid replacement of simple repetitive labor is likely.
• New Jobs: Expansion in high-value services roles like robot maintenance, operation, application software, and data labeling.

National Competitiveness & Export Opportunities:

• If Korean companies secure competitiveness in actuators, sensors, and integrated systems, they can enter the global supply network.
• However, coexisting challenges include price competition from Chinese firms and reliability competition from Japanese companies.

4) Investment & Business Opportunities (Checklist for Companies & Investors)

Investment Points:

• Actuator & Reducer Manufacturers (core component specialization).
• Solutions for Edge AI Semiconductors and Memory (including HBM).
• Industrial Battery and Safety Management Systems (battery-robot integration).
• Robot Software, Digital Twin, and Remote Management Platforms.
• Robot Maintenance, After-Service, and Robot Education & Re-Education Services.

Large Corporate Strategy:

• Companies taking a ‘provider + customer’ positioning like Samsung can lead standards and ensure profitability.
• Vertical integration (from components to systems) is a means of achieving long-term competitive advantage.

SME & Startup Strategy:

• Secure references for rapid commercialization in niche markets (specific industries, narrow space operations, service robots).
• Accelerate market entry by collaborating with large corporations or battery/component companies.

5) Global Competition Landscape & Risks

Price Offensive from China vs Reliability from Japan:

• Chinese companies are expanding their strategy with price and component supply.
• Japanese large enterprises are targeting the market with quality and industrial reliability.
• South Korea can target the ‘middle ground’ with technological capability (actuators & software) and manufacturing competence.

Supply Chain & Bottlenecks:

• Actuators, reducers, high-performance edge AI chips, and HBM memory are bottleneck factors.
• Weaknesses in semiconductors, packages, and memory directly affect real-time control and safety assurance.

Regulations, Safety & Insurance:

• Safety regulations and certifications for public spaces and proximity to people need to be swiftly arranged to accelerate commercialization.
• Delays in addressing insurance and liability issues may slow commercialization speed.

Data & Security:

• Privacy and security regulations for footage and sensor data collected by humanoids are necessary.
• Certification and verification systems against AI model malfunction or misuse are conditions for market trust.

6) Key Insights Not Covered Well by Media & YouTube (Exclusive Perspective)

Samsung’s ‘Provider + Customer’ strategy is a standard-leading mechanism.

• Samsung is not just building robots but also attempting to control the supply chain by supplying actuators, sensors, and software.
• Significance: If interfaces and standards are spread based on Samsung’s criteria, they can simultaneously secure ecosystem dependency and profitability (components & services).

The bottleneck of Edge AI & HBM memory dictates the speed of commercialization.

• Many media focus on the materialized robots themselves, but in actual operations, memory and bandwidth for real-time video and sensor processing are key bottlenecks.
• Consequently, ‘edge computing architecture’ and memory supply stability might be greater commercialization barriers than robot hardware.

The domain of battery & heat management (safety) is underestimated.

• In factory and logistics sites, ‘safety’ precedes energy density in commercialization decision-making.
• Partnership examples with SK suggest that Korea may hold a favorable position in this domain.

Initial commercialization is likely to proceed with ‘hybrid design’ (wheel + walking).

• Rather than full-scale adoption of walking, rapidly securing the market with wheel-based (or wheel + walking) is a realistic phased strategy before transitioning to full walking.

7) Recommendations for Policy & Corporations

Government (Industrial Policy):

• Rapidly prepare safety, certification, and data regulatory frameworks to reduce corporate commercialization risks.
• R&D support and production incentives for core components like actuators, sensors, and batteries are necessary.

Large Corporations:

• While vertical integration is advantageous, parallel ecosystem expansion (offering open interfaces) can allow rapid ecosystem expansion through partnerships.

SME & Midsize:

• Focus on niche markets (specific processes, small-scale hospital/hotel/logistics automation).
• Strategically utilize partnerships with large corporations or battery/component supply contracts.

Investors:

• Short-term: Focus on wheel-type and hybrid robot solutions and maintenance services.
• Mid-long term: Consider actuators, edge AI chips, HBM, and battery safety solutions as core portfolio opportunities.

< Summary >

RoboWorld 2025 signified the imminent ‘practical commercialization’ of humanoids.Samsung is pursuing a vertical integration and standard-leading strategy with internalized hardware (actuators and robotic hands).Startups are rapidly achieving commercialization references with wheel-based hybrid models.Key bottlenecks include actuators, edge AI chips, HBM memory, and battery safety, with regulatory, safety, and data issues determining the speed of industry expansion.From an investment standpoint, components (actuators), edge computing, battery & safety solutions, and robot maintenance & services are promising.

[Related Articles…]

• Samsung soon to launch…’Humanoid Robots’ heated up at RoboWorld summarized
• Samsung’s Robotics Strategy and the Economic Significance of Vertical Integration

---