The rise of humanoid robots: from science fiction to real-world capability

For decades, humanoid robots existed largely in our imagination.

From science fiction films to research laboratories, the idea of a machine that could walk, see, move, communicate and interact with the world like a human has fascinated us for generations.

But things have changed, and humanoid robots are no longer simply a vision of the future. They are rapidly becoming a practical technology, with robots now walking, manipulating objects, learning tasks and operating in increasingly complex environments.

In 2026, we are seeing a significant acceleration in the development of humanoid robotics. At this year’s World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, more than 2,000 humanoid robots competed across 51 events, demonstrating just how quickly physical capabilities are advancing.

We know humanoid robots now exist, but what can they do for your organisation?

The evolution of robots:

The earliest humanoid robots were primarily research projects. They were expensive, highly specialised machines designed to demonstrate what was technically possible. Walking on two legs was an achievement in itself. Simple object manipulation could require extensive programming, controlled environments and significant engineering expertise. And while those early systems were important, they were a long way from the adaptable robots we are seeing today.

The emergence of more sophisticated sensors, actuators, computer vision, machine learning and, more recently, generative AI and Physical AI has fundamentally changed the opportunity. Today’s humanoids are increasingly capable of perceiving their surroundings, understanding instructions, manipulating objects and learning from demonstrations.

This is the shift from robotics that follows instructions to robotics that can learn.

One of the biggest advantages of a humanoid form is surprisingly simple. The world has been designed for humans. Our factories, warehouses, hotels, offices, shops, homes and public spaces are built around human dimensions. Doors have handles. Stairs have steps. Workstations are designed for two arms and two hands. Tools are designed to be held by people.

Rather than redesigning an entire environment around a specialised machine, humanoid robots have the potential to operate within environments that already exist. That creates a compelling proposition for businesses.

A humanoid can potentially move between different tasks without requiring a completely new piece of infrastructure for every application. And that flexibility is one of the reasons humanoids are attracting so much attention across industries.

But the hardware is only one part of the equation. A robot can have sophisticated motors, cameras and sensors, but that does not automatically mean it knows how to complete a real-world task. Teaching a robot to reliably perform complex physical activities remains one of the biggest challenges in robotics. This is where AI, teleoperation and high-quality real-world data becomes particularly important.

Instead of trying to program every possible movement manually, humans can demonstrate tasks and robots can learn from those demonstrations. This creates an important bridge between human intelligence and machine capability.

At Extend Robotics, this is the principle behind our approach to teleoperation and robot training. Our technology enables humans to intuitively control robots remotely using immersive XR interfaces, while capturing the data generated during those interactions. That data can then become part of the process of training increasingly autonomous robotic systems.

Teleoperation is sometimes viewed simply as a way of controlling a robot remotely, but its potential is much greater. Imagine a humanoid robot deployed in a warehouse, factory, hotel or other environment. If it encounters a task it cannot yet complete autonomously, a human operator can intervene remotely, perform the task and capture the interaction. The robot doesn’t just complete the task. But It can learn from it.

Extend Robotics’ AMAS platform is designed around this transition, combining immersive teleoperation, data collection, AI model training and deployment capabilities. This is an important step towards making humanoid robotics commercially useful.

For businesses considering humanoid robotics, the real opportunity isn’t owning a robot simply because it is impressive - it is about solving a problem. By combining intuitive XR teleoperation with AI training and automation, we are helping create a future where humans can control, teach and supervise robots, wherever those robots are in the world.

To find out more about how we can help your business to integrate humanoid robotics into your workplace, contact us.