Siemens, Nvidia, and Humanoid Deploy AI-Powered Humanoid Robot in Factory
April 20, 2026 – 10:17 am
Siemens, Nvidia, and UK robotics startup Humanoid have successfully deployed an AI-powered wheeled humanoid robot in live logistics operations at a Siemens electronics factory in Germany.
The HMND 01 Alpha completed over eight hours of autonomous tote-handling at 60 moves per hour with a pick-and-place success rate above 90%. It was integrated directly into Siemens’ production systems.
At Hannover Messe 2026, the companies announced this achievement, building on a prior partnership first revealed at CES.
The robot handled mundane yet crucial tasks like:
- Picking totes from storage stacks
- Transporting them to conveyor belts
- Placing them at designated pickup points for human workers
This trial is significant because it occurred in a live production environment, alongside human operators and other automated systems, without the buffer of a controlled lab setting.
The HMND 01 Alpha combines a wheeled lower platform with a humanoid upper body equipped with advanced manipulation capabilities. Integration into Siemens’ factory was facilitated through the Siemens Xcelerator platform, which offers:
- Digital twin
- AI-enabled perception
- PLC-robot interfaces
- Fleet management
- Industrial communication networks
This deep integration allows real-time coordination among the robot, production systems, other autonomous guided vehicles, and human workers.
Stephan Schlauss, Global Head of Manufacturing Motion Control at Siemens, described the Erlangen plant as "customer zero", meaning it served as the test ground before offering the capability to customers.
The HMND 01 Alpha leverages Nvidia Jetson Thor for edge compute, Nvidia Isaac Sim for simulation, and Nvidia Isaac Lab for reinforcement learning and policy training. Humanoid credits its simulation-first development approach, training the robot in a virtual environment before physical deployment, with compressing prototype development from 18-24 months to approximately seven months.