Viral videos of robots kicking children or dancing uncontrollably have exposed a fundamental problem for manufacturers: how to deploy a humanoid machine in a warehouse or office without risking injury to people. The industry is responding to this challenge by creating multi-layered safety systems — from specialized Nvidia chips to abandoning bipedal designs in favor of wheeled platforms.
Injuries and even fatalities involving humanoid robots have already been recorded, significantly slowing the pace of mass adoption. Functional safety designer Michelle Silva describes the simplest threat: "If a humanoid robot loses power, it can simply fall and crush you." The complexity is compounded by the AI-based architecture of these machines. Unlike deterministic industrial robots (welding machines or forklifts), humanoids are probabilistic systems operating on statistical models rather than rigid rules.
Multi-layered protection: from chips to infrastructure
Nvidia has introduced a solution based on Blackwell chips, which, according to the company's senior director of robotics Amit Goel, can interpret sensor data about potential hazards and stop the robot in unsafe conditions. "The safety system and the functional system need to interact with each other frequently in a much broader context. We created an operating system layer to run these two things together," Goel explained.
Another approach involves the robot relying not only on its own cameras and sensors but also on the surrounding infrastructure. Fort Robotics is developing controllers and software that gather information from multiple sources. CEO Samuel Reeves emphasizes that it's not just about detecting a person in the work zone, but about complex data: where the person is, in what posture, and whether that information can be trusted enough for the robot to make decisions.
Standards and design solutions
The problem of stability loss is so critical that the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has created an expert group to study it. Publication of the relevant requirements is expected by mid-2028. Until uniform rules exist, manufacturers are seeking their own solutions.
Germany's Neura Robotics produces the 80-kilogram bipedal robot 4NE1. Founder David Reger claims the design minimizes risk: if a knee joint fails, the robot will attempt to regain balance, and if unsuccessful, it will fall "like a collapsing building," folding downward.
Some developers have taken a radical approach by eliminating the source of risk altogether. Dexmate creates robots on wheeled platforms with long arms for working on warehouse shelves. Co-founder Yuzhe Qin explains that the battery and electronics are placed in the platform, providing a low center of gravity, which prevents falling.
Cobot founder Brad Porter suggests assessing the threat without exaggeration. His wheeled robots with manipulators move at walking speed and do not have super-strong grips. "We don't need to put a lot of energy into the necessary actions. We're not trying to crush watermelons," Porter notes.
Analytical commentary: The issue of humanoid robot safety is not just an engineering challenge but a key factor determining the pace of commercialization for the entire industry. Until unified safety standards are developed and certified, we will see market fragmentation: some companies will bet on complex algorithms and sensors, while others will rely on simple and predictable wheeled designs. Investors should closely monitor which approach proves not only more effective but also faster at clearing regulatory hurdles.