At the critical juncture when humanoid robots gradually step out of the laboratory and into the real world, a basic institutional construction quietly paves the "highway" to commercialization. At the end of April 2025, China officially released the "Humanoid Robot Standard System Framework (V1.0)", establishing a top-level design for the standardized development of the industry. This is not only a clear guidance for the development of the industry at the policy level, but also is expected to become a key leap that will propel humanoid robots from mere showmanship to profitability
Ⅰ. Rapid expansion of industrial territory: China leads the number of ontology enterprises in the world
According to the preliminary survey data of the "Humanoid Robot Standard System Framework" led by the China Electronics Standardization Institute, as of December 2024, there are more than 220 humanoid robot ontology manufacturers in the world. Among them, the number of Chinese enterprises reached 110, accounting for about 50%; about 45 in the United States, accounting for 20%; There are about 22 in Japan, accounting for 10%. This distribution clearly outlines the current global competition pattern of the humanoid robot track: China, the United States and Japan dominate, especially China's industrial development is the most active, showing a trend of "competing for the deer".
Behind this is the completeness of China's manufacturing system, the continuous improvement of the localization rate of core components, and the active support of policies in the field of cutting-edge science and technology. Many robotics startups and leading manufacturing companies have entered the game to accelerate the evolution of core components, drive systems, and complete machine architectures. However, at the same time, the industry is also facing the problem of "fighting in silos", and the lack of unified standards leads to poor system compatibility, serious waste of resources, and prominent problems of duplicate research and development.
Figure: Humanoid robot standard system framework
Ⅱ. The standard system was introduced to make up for the shortcomings of the "stuck neck" system
"Humanoid Robot Standard System Framework (V1.0)" is led by China Electronics Standardization Institute, jointly drafted by a number of leading enterprises and scientific research institutes, and for the first time starts from the whole process of the industrial chain, systematically constructs five major sections of humanoid robot standards: basic commonality, key technologies, components, complete machines and systems, and application guides.
The release of this standard system is of great significance: it not only unifies terminology, clarifies test methods and interface specifications, but more importantly, forms a "public infrastructure" to promote technological collaborative innovation and achievement transformation.
Taking joint modules as an example, the current mainstream routes include electric drive, hydraulic drive, servo hybrid drive, etc., and different companies choose very differently, resulting in poor mutual compatibility. The standard system in terms of drive mode, safety redundancy, electronic control interface and other aspects of the specification will help to improve the modularity of modules, reduce the cost of repeated research and development of enterprises, so that small and medium-sized enterprises have the opportunity to quickly land products, and promote the formation of synergies between the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain.
In addition, the system also provides clear guidance on the indicators of core modules such as high-energy-density batteries, low-latency control chips, high-precision force-controlled sensors, and environmental perception systems, so that enterprises can focus on "stuck neck" technology instead of falling into blind trial and error.
Figure: Can the standard system make humanoid robots move from "showing off their skills" to "making money"?
Ⅲ. Promote the "double engine" of technological innovation and application
Standardization does not mean that innovation is inhibited, on the contrary, a reasonable standard system provides a direction for technological innovation. Taking the robot vision system as an example, the standard system gives test methods and quantitative parameters for key performance indicators such as sensor resolution, field of view, low light performance, and response delay, prompting enterprises to focus on improving product practicability and engineering adaptability.
In terms of voice interaction, gait planning, motion capture, environmental adaptation, etc., the standard system is also planning the "test set" and "verification set" mechanism, so that the humanoid robot from the laboratory algorithm to the real scene is no longer just a castle in the air.
The "Humanoid Robot Industry Research Report" released by the 2024 World Artificial Intelligence Conference pointed out that by 2029, the market size of Chinese humanoid robots is expected to reach 75 billion yuan, accounting for 32.7% of the global market. This means that the Chinese market will maintain an average annual compound growth rate of more than 30% in the next five years. Whether this growth goal can be achieved, the role of the standard system in promoting the implementation of key scenarios is indispensable.
Taking the industrial field as an example, the unification of the interface specifications between the robot and the PLC, industrial communication bus, and collaborative control system in the standard system enables the humanoid robot to quickly access the existing production line to perform flexible operations such as handling, testing, and assembly, and gradually replace the traditional industrial arm. In the field of home, the system sets thresholds in terms of speech recognition accuracy, safety protection level, fall response mechanism, etc., to provide safety guarantee for the large-scale popularization of home service robots.
Ⅳ. from "showmanship" to "profitability": the starting point of the transformation of the profit model
At present, most humanoid robot companies are still in the stage of "technical demonstration", and most of the products are displayed in the form of prototypes. Taking Tesla's Optimus as an example, although its latest version demonstrates basic capabilities such as handling and classification, it is still far from real mass production in terms of technical maturity, delivery capabilities, and ecological adaptation. According to Tesla's financial report for the first quarter of 2024, the Optimus project is still in the stage of high investment and low return.
On the other hand, in the Chinese market, companies including UBTECH, Fourier Intelligence, Lingxi Technology, Galaxy General, and MindMinds Technology have released a variety of humanoid robots, trying to find a commercial foothold in the fields of inspection, logistics, education, and companionship. However, the biggest obstacle to large-scale rollout is still the imbalance between cost and market adaptation.
The emergence of the standard system provides an important way to solve this dilemma:
* Cost reduction and efficiency improvement: Unified interface and module specifications promote large-scale production in the industrial chain, and the cost of parts and components has decreased significantly;
* Enhance market trust: products with standard constraints are more likely to be recognized by enterprise users and government procurement;
* Shorten the R&D cycle: Standardized testing system accelerates product iteration and improves R&D ROI (return on investment);
* Promote the improvement of financing and insurance mechanisms: Compliance standards have become an important basis for financing institutions and insurance companies to evaluate risks.
From "engineering prototype" to "standardized goods", this is the enterprise from "technology" to “sell products".
Ⅴ. All parties work together to build an industrial ecology
Of course, the standards system is only the first step. The transformation from "showing off skills" to "making money" also requires the full cooperation of the industrial ecology
* Policy level: The state should accelerate the transformation of standards into industry norms and procurement thresholds, and take the lead in pilot implementation in the fields of intelligent manufacturing, elderly care services, and public safety;
* Capital market: increase investment in standardized product lines and avoid focusing only on "show-off projects";
* Industry organizations: Promote the establishment of transnational standards alliances to compete for global discourse and avoid Chinese enterprises being excluded from the international market;
* Education system: Establish a compound talent training mechanism for humanoid robot system engineering, motion control, embedded software, etc., and provide "all-rounders" for industrial development.
Ⅵ. Conclusion: The standard is not the end, but the starting point
From "engineering wonders" to "commercial products", humanoid robots need to cross not only technical thresholds, but also profound reshaping of industrial logic. The release of the "Humanoid Robot Standard System Framework" marks the inflection point of this industry from barbaric growth to orderly development. It is not a rope that binds innovation, but an "accelerator" that makes innovation more directional, the industry more orderly, and the enterprise more profitable.
To truly realize the leap from "showing off skills" to "making money", it takes time, patience, and the "trinity" of technology, standards and markets. And this revolution has only just begun.
