CHINESE startups Astribot and SEER Robotics said they will jointly deploy more than 1,000 humanoid robots in industrial settings within two years, signaling a move from pilot projects to broader commercial use. The partners will combine strengths across R&D, product development, sales channels and after?sales support to produce humanoid robots for manufacturing, warehousing, logistics and other sectors, Shenzhen?based Astribot announced Tuesday. Astribot co?founder Fang Ke said the company also hopes to expand into consumer electronics, automotive and automation equipment markets using SEER’s client resources. The push comes as China’s humanoid robotics sector accelerates. In July, Shenzhen-based Ubtech announced a 90.5 million yuan (US$12.7 million) order from Miyi Automotive Technology — the biggest humanoid?robot deal in China to date. While in Shanghai, Agibot won an order worth tens of millions of yuan last month to place nearly 100 robots in Fulin Precision’s factories. Industry reports say the technology is hitting commercialization thresholds. A China Securities note said deployments are shifting from demos to customer trials in the second half of this year, and could enter a rapid growth phase next year. A Sealand Securities report projects China’s humanoid robot market could reach US$5 billion by 2030. Founded in 2022, Astribot builds versatile intelligent robots using a cable?driven transmission that mimics human muscle?tendon movement, improving dexterity and safety for tasks like material handling and parts assembly. Shanghai?based Seer, established in 2020, focuses on robot controller systems and says it serves about 1,500 clients worldwide, including Philips, Schneider Electric, Siemens and FAW?Volkswagen. (SD-Agencies) | 