Advances in artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics are pushing automation beyond traditional industrial uses. Labor-intensive sectors such as apparel manufacturing, logistics and industrial inspection are beginning to adopt robotic systems to address workforce shortages and improve operational efficiency.
AI-driven apparel production: the Jack Technology programme
Shorter production cycles and growing demand for personalized clothing are driving the textile industry toward software-driven and AI-based automation. Jack Technology, a China-headquartered company known for industrial sewing machines, is combining industrial AI with humanoid robotics and aims to achieve at least a 30 percent increase in efficiency using Siemens’ full software ecosystem.
As part of this plan, Jack Technology ordered two thousand humanoid robots optimized specifically for garment production for deployment in 2025, representing one of the first large-scale uses of humanoids in the sector. Siemens’ tools support the process from design and simulation through manufacturing to the establishment of a digital platform for operations.
Humanoids in logistics: wheel-based handling demonstrated
Humanoid robots mimic human body structure and motion patterns, allowing them to operate in spaces and use tools designed for people without major reconfiguration. A British company named Humanoid demonstrated this capability during a two-week trial at a Siemens electronics plant in Erlangen: the wheel-based Alpha robot, designated HMND 01, handled crate movements.
Built on NVIDIA’s physical-AI technology, the system autonomously placed incoming crates onto a conveyor and moved them to a handoff point for human workers to continue the process. During the trial the robot moved 60 crates per hour, handled two different crate sizes, ran for more than eight hours per day, and achieved a pick-and-place success rate above 90 percent.
Quadruped inspectors in industrial sites: ANYmal in use
Large chemical and energy facilities pose persistent hazards that require frequent inspection. The ANYmal quadruped from ANYbotics is deployed to automate inspections and maintenance tasks that are dangerous, monotonous or difficult to access.
Running on Siemens technologies and the Roboverse Reply platform that links virtual and physical environments, ANYmal autonomously collects precise data at hundreds of checkpoints and generates high-resolution 3D models of facilities. Its AI-based navigation enables confident movement in dark, multi-level spaces with stairs, and each deployment improves its object recognition and classification capabilities.
ANYmal uses infrared cameras to monitor temperatures of pumps and motors, while acoustic sensors detect frequencies beyond human hearing—helpful for early detection of issues such as gas leaks. Because the system filters and transmits relevant information in real time to operators, facilities can shift from reactive repairs to predictive maintenance approaches.
Integration is the critical factor
A single humanoid or quadruped does not constitute a complete solution. The robots deliver value only when they are integrated into the production environment and able to coordinate with other systems. Continuous data exchange with production control systems, autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), machines and human operators is required for workflow synchronization and adaptation to changing conditions.
Siemens’ integrated infrastructure—from digital twins and AI-based sensing through control integration, PLC–robot interfaces, fleet management and industrial communications to drive systems—covers the automation chain necessary to operate humanoid robots safely and efficiently on the factory floor. Together these components form a digital backbone that enables humanoids and other robotic platforms to become an operational part of industrial production.
Why this matters
Deploying humanoid robots and quadrupeds can improve workplace safety, boost productivity and enable predictive maintenance in areas where automation has been difficult to implement. The decisive factors for realizing these benefits are system integration and continuous data flow; without them, advanced robotics will remain isolated point solutions.
