Key facts
- Panasonic Holdings plans to develop humanoid robots.
- Production is targeted to begin by 2029.
- The robots are intended for use in plants and warehouses.
- Panasonic will leverage its battery business and automotive-grade components for the robots.
Panasonic Holdings is planning to develop humanoid robots, with the goal of starting production by 2029. Akira Sakakibara, the company's chief AI officer, revealed the plans in a recent interview with Nikkei. These machines are envisioned for deployment in industrial settings such as plants and warehouses.
Panasonic Industry, a division of the company, already provides a range of advanced electronic components crucial for humanoid robotics. These include solutions for energy and power management, thermal management, signal and connectivity, sensing and interaction, and motion/actuation. The components are built with automotive-grade reliability, drawing on technology proven in vehicles for power supplies, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), and cooling modules. Specific offerings include super capacitors, Active Optical Cables, various connectors, Graphite thermal interface material, PhotoMOS semiconductor relays, conductive polymer capacitors, tactile pressure sensors, and compact integrated motors.