Robotics
Humanoid robot
A humanoid robot is a robot whose shape reproduces that of the human body: head, torso, two arms and, for bipedal models, two legs. The shape has no technical value in itself: it lets the robot move through spaces designed for people and makes it instantly readable to the public.
Updated on 12 October 2026 · Libella Robotics · Also known as: humanoid, anthropomorphic robot, human-shaped robot
The category covers very different machines. A wheeled humanoid such as Pepper moves on a motorised base and has no functional legs; a recent bipedal humanoid such as the Unitree G1 actually walks, climbs steps and regains its balance after a push. The difference in impact on an audience is considerable, yet the word used in quotes is the same.
This is precisely why the exact model must appear in a hire contract. “Humanoid robot” can describe a tablet on wheels hired out at €1,000 a day just as well as a biped that costs €20,000 to buy. The manufacturer's name and the model reference are the only information that genuinely commits the supplier.
At an event, the strength of a humanoid is not its productivity but its power to attract attention: a machine walking among visitors gets filmed, talked about and shared. It is a medium, not a production tool.
Key facts
| Two families | Wheeled (Pepper, Nao) or bipedal (Unitree G1, Tesla Optimus) |
|---|---|
| What changes everything | Real walking: it is what the audience films |
| Ask for it in the quote | Manufacturer and model reference, in writing |
Related terms