Humanoid robot

Humanoid robots have long appeared in entertainment and fiction, from mythological figures such as [[Prometheus]] to mechanical characters in early automata and science fiction films. In contemporary theme parks, humanoid machines are widely used as sophisticated [[animatronics]] that mimic human motion, facial expressions and speech. Research groups at [[Walt Disney Imagineering]] have developed "stuntronics", free-flying humanoid stunt doubles that use onboard sensing and control to perform aerial flips and poses during live shows, allowing characters such as superheroes to execute stunts that would be dangerous for human performers.{{Cite web|title=Stuntronics – Disney Research|url=https://la.disneyresearch.com/stuntronics/|access-date=2021-10-25|website=la.disneyresearch.com}}{{cite news |last=Panzarino |first=Matthew |title=Disney Imagineering has created autonomous robot stunt doubles |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/28/disney-imagineering-has-created-autonomous-robot-stunt-doubles/ |work=TechCrunch |date=2018-06-28 |access-date=2025-11-21}}

Humanoid robots have long appeared in entertainment and fiction, from mythological figures such as [[Prometheus]] to mechanical characters in early automata and science fiction films. In contemporary theme parks, humanoid machines are widely used as sophisticated [[animatronics]] that mimic human motion, facial expressions and speech. Research groups at [[Walt Disney Imagineering]] have developed "stuntronics", free-flying humanoid stunt doubles that use onboard sensing and control to perform aerial flips and poses during live shows, allowing characters such as superheroes to execute stunts that would be dangerous for human performers.{{Cite web|title=Stuntronics – Disney Research|url=https://la.disneyresearch.com/stuntronics/|access-date=2021-10-25|website=la.disneyresearch.com}}{{cite news |last=Panzarino |first=Matthew |title=Disney Imagineering has created autonomous robot stunt doubles |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/28/disney-imagineering-has-created-autonomous-robot-stunt-doubles/ |work=TechCrunch |date=2018-06-28 |access-date=2025-11-21}}

Outside of theme parks, humanoid robots increasingly appear in live sports-style events and competitions. In 2025 the Chinese robotics company Unitree live-streamed what it billed as the first boxing tournament between humanoid robots, with four G1 robots taking part in a small-ring event that combined remote control with short autonomous sequences.{{cite news |title=In world's first humanoid boxing match, gloating robot face-plants |url=https://www.popsci.com/technology/humanoid-robots-boxing-match/ |work=Popular Science |date=2025-05-27 |access-date=2025-11-21}} The same year, Beijing hosted the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games, where more than 500 robots from 280 teams competed in events such as soccer, running and boxing and performed choreographed routines including hip-hop and martial arts during the opening ceremony.{{cite news |title=Beijing's first World Humanoid Robot Games open with hip-hop and martial arts |url=https://apnews.com/article/f0bdd670fae9904aea2c4df398cdcb1a |work=Associated Press |date=2025-08-16 |access-date=2025-11-21}} Exhibition matches and tournaments with humanoid robot football teams have also been promoted as trials for future multi-sport robot events.{{cite news |title=Humanoid robots play football poorly in Chinese exhibition match |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/technology/humanoid-robots-play-football-poorly-in-chinese-exhibition-match-3607559 |work=Deccan Herald |date=2025-06-29 |access-date=2025-11-21}}{{cite web |title=China holds first AI-powered robot football match |url=https://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0702/c90000-20335219.html |website=People's Daily Online |date=2025-07-02 |access-date=2025-11-21}}

Outside of theme parks, humanoid robots increasingly appear in live sports-style events and competitions. In 2025 the Chinese robotics company Unitree live-streamed what it billed as the first boxing tournament between humanoid robots, with four G1 robots taking part in a small-ring event that combined remote control with short autonomous sequences.{{cite news |title=In world's first humanoid boxing match, gloating robot face-plants |url=https://www.popsci.com/technology/humanoid-robots-boxing-match/ |work=Popular Science |date=2025-05-27 |access-date=2025-11-21}} The same year, Beijing hosted the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games, where more than 500 robots from 280 teams competed in events such as soccer, running and boxing and performed choreographed routines including hip-hop and martial arts during the opening ceremony.{{cite news |title=Beijing's first World Humanoid Robot Games open with hip-hop and martial arts |url=https://apnews.com/article/f0bdd670fae9904aea2c4df398cdcb1a |work=Associated Press |date=2025-08-16 |access-date=2025-11-21}} Exhibition matches and tournaments with humanoid robot football teams have also been promoted as trials for future multi-sport robot events.{{cite news |title=Humanoid robots play football poorly in Chinese exhibition match |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/technology/humanoid-robots-play-football-poorly-in-chinese-exhibition-match-3607559 |work=Deccan Herald |date=2025-06-29 |access-date=2025-11-21}}{{cite web |title=China holds first AI-powered robot football match |url=https://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0702/c90000-20335219.html |website=People's Daily Online |date=2025-07-02 |access-date=2025-11-21}} Humanoid robots even performed as dancers during the opening ceremony of the [[2026 Asian Beach Games]] in [[Sanya]], China.

Humanoid robots have also been used as performers in concerts and televised shows. At the 2025 VOYAGEX music festival in Changchun, the PNDbotics humanoid Adam appeared on stage as a keytar player as part of a live band performance.{{cite news |last=Ridden |first=Paul |title=Watch: Funky humanoid robot rocks the keys for music festival debut |url=https://newatlas.com/ai-humanoids/pndbotics-adam-humanoid-robot/ |work=New Atlas |date=2025-07-25 |access-date=2025-11-21}} Earlier that year, a Chinese Spring Festival television gala featured a choreographed routine in which sixteen Unitree H1 humanoid robots danced alongside human performers, presented as a demonstration of the country's progress in humanoid robotics.{{cite news |title=China used a fleet of dancing humanoid robots to show off its AI ambitions |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/china-spring-festival-robots-showing-off-humanoid-progress-2025-1 |work=Business Insider |date=2025-01-18 |access-date=2025-11-21}} These and similar appearances at music events and public festivals have been described as ways to familiarise audiences with humanoid robots while showcasing advances in dynamic control, balance and human–robot interaction.{{cite web |title=RoboCup Humanoid League |url=https://humanoid.robocup.org/ |website=RoboCup Humanoid League |access-date=2025-11-21}} Another example is the 2026 China Media Group Spring Festival Gala.''Humanoid robots perform drunken kung fu with nunchucks at China’s Spring Gala'' https://interestingengineering.com/ai-robotics/humanoid-robots-wield-nunchucks-china

Humanoid robots have also been used as performers in concerts and televised shows. At the 2025 VOYAGEX music festival in Changchun, the PNDbotics humanoid Adam appeared on stage as a keytar player as part of a live band performance.{{cite news |last=Ridden |first=Paul |title=Watch: Funky humanoid robot rocks the keys for music festival debut |url=https://newatlas.com/ai-humanoids/pndbotics-adam-humanoid-robot/ |work=New Atlas |date=2025-07-25 |access-date=2025-11-21}} Earlier that year, a Chinese Spring Festival television gala featured a choreographed routine in which sixteen Unitree H1 humanoid robots danced alongside human performers, presented as a demonstration of the country's progress in humanoid robotics.{{cite news |title=China used a fleet of dancing humanoid robots to show off its AI ambitions |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/china-spring-festival-robots-showing-off-humanoid-progress-2025-1 |work=Business Insider |date=2025-01-18 |access-date=2025-11-21}} These and similar appearances at music events and public festivals have been described as ways to familiarise audiences with humanoid robots while showcasing advances in dynamic control, balance and human–robot interaction.{{cite web |title=RoboCup Humanoid League |url=https://humanoid.robocup.org/ |website=RoboCup Humanoid League |access-date=2025-11-21}} Another example is the 2026 China Media Group Spring Festival Gala.''Humanoid robots perform drunken kung fu with nunchucks at China’s Spring Gala'' https://interestingengineering.com/ai-robotics/humanoid-robots-wield-nunchucks-china