# Humanoid Robots at work: where are we ?

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.04249 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.04249/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 5 Apr 2024.

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [LiPS: Large-Scale Humanoid Robot Reinforcement Learning with Parallel-Series Structures](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.08349/) (2025)
- [Smoothness as a Constraint for Stable Humanoid Locomotion](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.24552/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Launched by Elon Musk and its Optimus, we are witnessing a new race in which many companies have already engaged. The objective it to put at work a new generation of humanoid robots in demanding industrial environments within 2 or 3 years. Is this objective realistic ? The aim of this document and its main contributions is to provide some hints by covering the following topics: First an analysis of 12 companies based on eight criteria that will help us to distinguish companies based on their maturity and approach to the market; second as these humanoids are very complex systems we will provide an overview of the technological challenges to be addressed; third when humanoids are deployed at scale, Operation and Maintenance become critical and the we will explore what is new with these complex machines; Finally Pilots are the last step to test the feasibility of a new system before mass deployment. This is an important step to test the maturity of a product and the strategy of the humanoid supplier to address a market and two pragmatic approaches will be discussed.