Humanoid robotics is enjoying a surge in funding and expectations, with European companies drawing significant investments over the past year. Germany’s Neura Robotics raised €120 million, while Norway’s 1X Technologies secured $100 million to develop household assistants like NEO. The European Commission under Horizon Europe supports these advancements, viewing humanoids as strategic technology. However, Bren Pierce, CEO of Kinisi Robotics, offers a more pragmatic perspective. With a robust history in robotics, Pierce has launched successful ventures like Bear Robotics and is critical of the current humanoid trend. He argues that the excitement is fueled by new AI models rather than genuine technological leaps in robot form.
Kinisi Robotics, a UK-US startup focused on creating practical, wheeled-base humanoids for warehouse automation, steers away from bipedal robots. Founded in 2024, Kinisi’s flagship model, Kinisi 01 (KR1), is designed for stable navigation and efficient task management. It can handle payloads up to 10 kg and operate for up to eight hours thanks to swappable batteries. Its onboard AI allows demonstration-based learning, making it adaptable without extensive coding. Initially aimed at logistics tasks, KR1 is also destined for roles in retail stocking and light manufacturing.
Pierce asserts that Kinisi builds functional robots that solve real-world problems, unlike the flashy demonstrations of some humanoid robots. According to him, industrial customers prioritize reliability over dexterity feats. Many current humanoid robots showcase staged demos in controlled environments, which don’t translate to real industrial utility. Warehouses, typically flat environments, don’t necessitate legged robots, which are expensive and complex. Kinisi targets practical applications, offering robots that do repetitive, physically demanding tasks without requiring major infrastructure overhauls.
The company’s approach contrasts with past robotics booms that focused on consumer robots offering limited utility. Pierce believes the future of robotics lies in delivering dependable solutions where automation provides clear returns on investment. He points out that AI enables faster deployment and generalizability, allowing smaller-scale automation projects that weren’t previously viable. For Kinisi, the key to success is addressing tangible needs in industrial settings, presenting practical, scalable solutions without succumbing to overhyped expectations.