Ranking the best humanoid robots of 2024

Post updated with more humanoids (total is now 43 - I'm sure I've missed some too)

Is Rosie the Robot Maid from the Jetsons here yet? Several different types of humanoid are currently deployed commercially or in trials. We’ve come along way since the DARPA Robotics Challenge of 2015/2016, where the most popular footage was the blooper reels of robots falling over and failing to open doors or climb stairs.

There are now 39 40 41 humanoid robot companies trying to commercialize for home and industry (not research) purposes. That doesn’t mean that they have the capabilities of the DARPA robots, but then again, they don’t cost millions of dollars to use either.

The Avatar XPrize of 2019-2022 showcased some extremely sophisticated humanoids that certainly advanced the state of the art but the holy grail of humanoid robots is combining incredible sophistication into a sub $50,000 package. Why $50,000? Wouldn’t some companies pay a lot more? Then again, can’t we buy a car, also a very sophisticated device capable of partial autonomy that is 5 times the size of a humanoid, for less than $50,000? Why is this the benchmark for humanoids?

The roll out of sophisticated new robots and how we integrate them into society is at the heart of my early research and my current roles as the Managing Director of Silicon Valley Robotics (explain), VP of Global Robotics for AMT (explain) and the VP of Industrial Activities for the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (explain). 

As more and more companies announce their work towards the affordable humanoid robot, I wanted to create a reference chart for myself, and realized that it might be of interest to others as well. The ranking system is just my own opinion and it will be fascinating to see who succeeds and progresses over the next few years. Enjoy this overview and make up your own minds as to which humanoid robot is really the best.

Andra’s Current Top Three Humanoids:

1. Agility Robotics - Digit

2. Boston Dynamics - Atlas 2.0

3. this is a rotating cast … 1X - Neo, Fourier - GR-1, Figure - Figure01, Apptronik - Astra, Westwood - Themis, UBTech - Walker S

Who’s who in the competition to commercialize in 2024:

(in alphabetical order by company not robot)

1. 1x - Neo

2. Aeolus Robotics - Eva

3. Agibot - Expedition A1

4. Agility Robotics - Digit

5. Apptronik - Astra

6. Boston Dynamics - Atlas 2.0

7. DeepRobotics -

8. Figure - Figure01

9. Fourier Intelligence - GR-1

10. Kepler Exploration Robot - Forerunner

11. LimX Dynamics - CL-1

12. Mentee Robotics - MenteeBot

13. Prosper Robotics - Alfie

14. Sanctuary - Phoenix

15. Tesla - Optimus

16. UBTech - Walker S

17. Unitree - H1

18. Westwood - Themis

Who isn’t really affordable / available? 

(companies are going to be switched from list to list as things develop)

1. Beyond Imagination - Beonmi

2. Boston Dynamics - Atlas

3. Cartwheel Robotics - tbd

4. Clone Robotics - Clone Hand, Clone Torso

5. Devanthro - Robody

6. Enchanted Tools - Mirakai

7. Engineered Arts - Ameca

8. FutureBots - ATOM2

9. Gael Langevin - InMoov

10. IIT - ErgoCub

11. Kawasaki Robotics - Kaleido

12. Kind Humanoid - ?

13. Magic Lab - ? (Silicon Valley via China)

14. NASA - Valkyrie

15. Neura - 4NE-1

16. Omeife.ai - Omeife

17. PAL - Reem-C

18. Stealth Humanoid (Bay Area) - ?

19. Toyota - T-HR3

20. TRI - Punyo

21. Xiaomi - CyberOne

New category - wheeled humanoids

1. AnnaOne ApS - Anna

2. CloudMinds - Ginger

3. Comma.ai - body

4. Elephant Robotics - Mercury X1

5. Kinisee Robotics

6. Oversonic - Robee

7. Rainbow Robotics - RBY1

8. Unlimited Robotics - Gary

9. Whipsaw - Bizzy and Martian

Who also isn’t in the running? 

• Hollywood Humanoids

Hollywood Humanoids are one off robots for the purpose of entertainment, like Sophia from Hanson Robotics, Jiang Lai Lai from EX Robot, Xoxe from AI Life, Omeife from Omeife.ai, Bob from IOXLab or Beonmi from Beyond Imagination (moved to the list due to commercialization plans) ....

• Research robots

Love them but they have a different purpose. Only robots with commercial deployment plans, and ideally, an affordable price tag and a date in 2024 when they’ll be available for purchase, if they aren’t already being sold.

• Not humanoid

I also love robots that work like a humanoid but don’t look human-like. We saw some examples in the DARPA Robotics Challenge, most notably RoboSimian. Once we go down that route, all quadrupeds, and multi-armed robots or wheeled bimanual robots, would qualify. Who knew there were so many robots!

New category of wheeled humanoids started - if they have heads and two arms on a mobile base - but have to have interaction ability or else….

Who have I missed?

I’m hoping to crowdsource some more great robots :)