Humanoid robot is a high-end intelligent device that integrates artificial intelligence and bionic engineering, and its appearance and behavior are highly human-like. Compared with ordinary robots, it not only needs to achieve basic perception and control, but also has complex abilities such as walking, balancing, and grasping. Among them, the actuator, as the core of its "muscle system", is the key component to drive the movement, especially the rotary actuator and linear actuator in the whole machine accounted for a relatively high value.
According to the data of the Prospective Industry Research Institute, among the core components of the current humanoid robot, the value of rotary and linear actuators accounts for 19.64%, carbon fiber materials 17.18%, dexterous hands 17.98%, perception systems 14.55%, communication and heat dissipation systems together less than 7%, and battery packs account for 1.72%. This also reflects the dependence of humanoid robots on high-performance structural components and actuation systems.
Humanoid Robots vs. Quadruped Robots: The Technological Threshold Behind Form Differences
Humanoid robots, also known as humanoid robots, are inspired by humans themselves, usually with a head, torso and limbs, and can simulate human gait, grasping and other movements, and are the product of the combination of bionic design and intelligent control. This kind of robot has extremely high technical requirements in terms of structural design, control algorithm, core component selection, etc., so it is also regarded as the "crown" of intelligent robots.
In contrast, quadruped robots are closer to animal forms in nature, resembling dogs or horses, and have strong running and jumping abilities. Due to its low center of gravity and stable structure, motion control is relatively easy to achieve. Quadruped robots are relatively mature in the technical path and are widely used in scenarios with high mobility requirements such as terrain exploration, disaster rescue, and industrial inspection. It can be said that quadruped robots are the technical basis for moving towards high-level humanoid robots.
Figure: Portrait of the humanoid robot industry
Industrial chain perspective: core components dominate the value distribution
From the perspective of the upstream of the industrial chain, the key to determining the performance of humanoid robots lies in high-precision parts. Among them, the planetary roller screw is regarded as the core component with the highest value, which has the characteristics of high manufacturing difficulty and high process threshold. At present, the core production capacity of the parts is concentrated in developed regions such as Europe and the United States, and Chinese companies are still in their infancy, and the market mainly relies on imports, and there is huge space for domestic substitution.
Intelligence hierarchy: a key stage in the transition from L3 to L4
According to the degree of intelligence, humanoid robots can be divided into six levels (L0 to L5):
L0: Completely dependent on manual control, no ability to make independent decisions;
L1: It can realize joint dragging, action recording and playback, and has primary control;
L2: Have the ability of path planning and be able to complete some preset tasks;
L3: Perceive the environment and respond to specific situations;
L4: Have certain cognitive reasoning ability, and be able to complete tasks autonomously in complex environments;
L5: Realize human-like thinking and creativity, and have the ability to make and execute completely independently.
At present, the mainstream products in the industry are moving from the L3 stage to the L4 stage, marking the gradual evolution of humanoid robots to a higher level of intelligence.
Global Market Trends: The industry is accelerating into the fast lane of commercialization
Data shows that the global humanoid robot market will reach $2.16 billion in 2023, and with the continuous progress of key technologies such as artificial intelligence, large models, and perception systems, humanoid robots are gradually moving from the laboratory to practical application scenarios. It is estimated that by 2029, the global market size is expected to jump to US$32.4 billion, widely penetrating manufacturing, education, medical care, home services and other fields, helping all levels of society to achieve intelligent upgrading.
Humanoid robots are entering a critical inflection point in their development, from technological breakthroughs to industrial layouts, which are attracting the attention of global technology giants and capital markets.
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Insight into the 2025 Blue Book on Humanoid Robotics Industry Development (1)
Insight into the 2025 Blue Book on Humanoid Robotics Industry Development (2)
Insight into The 2025 Blue Book on Humanoid Robotic Industry Development (3)
