Humanoids loading crates, robot dogs sniffing out gas

Robots are already proving their worth in the textile industry, logistics, and industrial maintenance.

Robotic arms have been welding in the automotive industry for decades, but this technology is only slowly gaining a foothold in certain sectors. These include some of the world’s most labor-intensive sectors, such as textile and apparel manufacturing, logistics, and security. However, even these tasks—which are considered difficult—will soon become increasingly automated.

AI-Based Apparel Manufacturing Is on the Horizon

The textile industry cannot afford to be left out of the digital transformation, responding to radically shorter lead times, unique consumer demands, and strict cost-efficiency requirements: more and more companies are adopting software-driven engineering, low-code development, and AI-based automation to stay competitive.

This is exactly what Jack Technology, a China-based global manufacturer of industrial sewing machines, is doing. By combining industrial artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics, the company has set a goal of achieving at least a 30 percent increase in efficiency, for which it has chosen Siemens’ software solutions—ranging from design and simulation through manufacturing all the way to the development of a digital platform.

Furthermore, they ordered 2,000 humanoid robots tailored for apparel manufacturing this year, marking the first large-scale deployment of this technology in the sector.

Top Marks in Box Packing

Unlike traditional, fixed-position industrial robots, humanoid robots mimic the structure and movement of the human body. Because of this, they are able to work in work environments originally designed for humans, using existing tools and workstations, without the need for any modifications. This is also necessary so that robots can truly address labor shortages and perform tasks while adapting to their environment and the human workforce they work alongside.

A British humanoid robotics startup took advantage of this as well. During a two-week trial at Siemens’ electronics plant in Erlangen, the wheeled Alpha humanoid robot, dubbed HMND 01, handled the crates. Using NVIDIA’s physical AI technology, it placed them on the conveyor belt and then set them down at a handoff point, where human colleagues took over the task.

During the project, the robot met expectations by autonomously moving 60 crates per hour, handling two different crate sizes seamlessly. The robot’s daily operating time exceeded 8 hours, and the success rate for fully autonomous grasping and placement tasks was over 90 percent.

Four-Legged Industrial Guards

The vast complexes of chemical and energy facilities—often spanning several square kilometers—harbor numerous risks: high temperatures, chemical reactions, and potential fire hazards all require constant monitoring.

To address these challenges, ANYbotics developed a robotic dog named ANYmal, utilizing Siemens solutions and Roboverse Reply’s platform that bridges the virtual and real worlds. The robot dog was specifically developed to facilitate maintenance tasks in complex industrial environments and to automate inspection tasks that are dangerous, dirty, or difficult for humans to access.

Upon command, ANYmal autonomously collects accurate, high-quality data from hundreds of inspection points. It creates high-resolution 3D models of facilities and, thanks to its AI-based mobility, navigates with ease even in the dark and through multi-story halls with staircases, while becoming increasingly reliable at identifying and classifying objects in its path with each mission. It uses its infrared cameras to measure the temperature of pumps and motors, and its acoustic sensors detect frequencies inaudible to the human ear, enabling it to detect even gas leaks.

By filtering and transmitting relevant data to operators in real time, plants can adopt predictive maintenance strategies instead of reactive troubleshooting.

Numerous details are required for a robot to function

The true value of a humanoid robot lies in its ability to become an integrated, collaborative tool within the manufacturing plant. This involves real-time data exchange with production systems and other autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), the synchronization of workflows with other machines and human operators, and adaptive operation that dynamically responds to changing conditions. Without deep integration, even the most sophisticated robot remains an isolated solution.

Siemens delivers this: from digital twins to AI-enabled sensing, integrated control, and PLC–robot interfaces, all the way to fleet management, industrial communication networks, and drive systems. Together, these elements form the digital backbone and automation infrastructure that ensures humanoid robots operate efficiently and integrate seamlessly into the entire factory environment. This creates a factory-level model for the deployment and operation of humanoid robots that is universally applicable in industrial settings.