The 5 best humanoid robots at IFA 2026

IFA 2026 focuses on three main areas: wearable devices, AI and robotics. Although these topics have been hot at recent trade shows, it is interesting to see a general growth in the number of humanoid robots promoted. More interestingly, while a few years ago these products were just a glimpse of the future, most of the robots on display are already real devices that, while not released in a while, are about to be introduced to the Chinese, European and/or American markets. Among the many brands exhibiting at IFA, BGR enthused about PrimeBOT’s Q1 robot, a mini humanoid-like option designed for AI research, classrooms and home companionship, Zero’s W1, which looks like Disney’s Wall-E, and even the scary EngineAI T800 – the robot known for kicking its own CEO’s ass.

During the show, BGR saw these robots demonstrate their kung fu abilities, the latest K-pop moves, and even their sports skills by scoring goals and celebrating like famous soccer players. While we still think these robots look pretty fun and a way to generate brand awareness, what intrigues us most is the fact that these companies have already taken their deployment to factories, B2B customers very seriously and are now going after the B2C market.

While 2026 may not be the year you get a humanoid robot for Christmas, it’s impressive that you can do it – and even the IFA CEO agrees: “This year we’re seeing more humanoid robots at IFA than ever before.” This shows that robotics, AI and new interfaces are increasingly becoming an integral part of people’s daily lives,” said Leif Lindner.

BGR’s first stop was a visit to the PrimeBOT Q1 robot. Unveiled at CES 2026 earlier this year, the company says the device will be available in China starting next September, with a price tag reaching around $10,000 and a focus on academic study for global research labs and interactive companionship at home. Measuring 50 centimeters tall and weighing 4 kilograms, this short robot king is designed with a focus on portability and home safety. It features 20 degrees of freedom powered by near-direct drive joints and full body force control, allowing it to navigate environments with ease. At the show, BGR saw this robot kicking, defending itself and even dancing.

PrimeBOT also showed how simple it is to customize, as customers can 3D print parts to make the robot look like a famous movie character, a real futuristic robot, and more. With up to three hours of battery life, this robot can be a fun companion for families, run at 3.2 meters per second in the open air, and even serve as emotional support for family members. Users can control it by voice, app or remote control.

During the show, the leaders in attendance would also often take the robot in their hands to walk it around, take a few photos, and then bring it back to kung fu training – it was like Goku practicing in front of me.

Perhaps the funniest robot BGR has seen so far, the K1 model is made by Beijing-based company Booster Robotics. Already available in China, the United States and Europe, this robot starts at $5,999 but can exceed $10,000 depending on the computing level, and it can be essential for university engineering programs, AI labs, trade exhibitions and even international robotics competitions.

Measuring 95 centimeters and weighing 19.5 kilograms, the K1 robot looks like a kid ready to go to soccer practice – and wearing it under Lionel Messi’s Argentina jersey helped set the mood. At the trade show, we saw the robot dance, fight and even kick a ball towards the goal – surprisingly with a lot of force and precision most of the time. Still, it was interesting to see the robot partying like Cristiano Ronaldo and other players, even when it hit the ball further from the goal, or got too close to spectators just to “make fun”.

All joking aside, the K1 can scale from a base 48 TOPS module up to NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX or AGX Orin options with up to 200 TOPS of onboard AI processing. It includes a 3D binocular depth camera, a 9-axis IMU as well as an omnidirectional microphone and speaker array. This product supports Python, ROS and ROS 2 and is powered by a replaceable battery providing 50-80 minutes of battery life, with a fast charge in less than an hour.

Moving away from the cute and short royal robots, BGR also once again introduced EngineAI’s T800 humanoid robot and, believe us, you wouldn’t like to encounter this robot in a dark alley. Known for its strength and even working as a police patrol in China, this robot focuses on heavy and high mobility vehicles. Available in Asia, the T800 model stands 173 centimeters tall and is made of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy panels with hollow internal wiring. With 29 degrees of freedom, it delivers up to 450 N·m of maximum torque. This robot can exceed speeds of 3 meters per second, as well as perform high-impact movements, such as martial arts techniques. His kick, for example, can throw a person two meters away – fortunately, that’s not what we tested.

With a somewhat terrifying look, this humanoid robot was inside a fighting ring dishing out punches and kicks in the air. From the looks of some German kids, they probably only expected cute robots. Yet what continues to impress most about one of the most well-known robots on the market is its build quality.

The T800 features 7-DoF multimodal dexterous hands capable of lifting 5 kilograms per arm with integrated tactile feedback. Its perception and computing hardware consists of 360-degree LiDAR, Intel RealSense depth cameras, an Intel host processor, and an integrated NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX computing unit, which provides millisecond obstacle detection. This robot also features a standard ternary lithium pack or optional 74.8V 40Ah modular solid-state battery that powers it for up to 5 hours of continuous use.

Recently launched, Agibot continues to make headlines by developing cutting-edge robots on a large scale. With the latest A3 model, this robot also measures 173 centimeters and weighs 55 kilograms, but it is far from scary. Although the company also highlights how it might fight, Agibot demonstrated a more interesting approach at the show: the robot’s writing capabilities. Featuring a modular OmniHand, it offers up to 12 active degrees of freedom, tactile force networks and submillimeter positioning repeatability to enable the robot to grip a pen or stylus and write in traditional Chinese calligraphy.

With an ultra-lightweight exoskeleton frame constructed from magnesium-titanium alloys and thermoplastic polyurethane, it delivers 12 kilowatts of peak power and can achieve an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 0.218 kW/kg, allowing this robot to perform fluid choreography, high-speed walking and traditional martial arts practices. It features dual batteries providing up to 10 hours of continuous runtime, as well as a 10-second hot-swap mechanism for non-stop stage performances. This robot integrates UWB radio to provide spatial awareness at the centimeter level, meaning several of these products could be synchronized to perform simultaneous routines.

Agibot’s A3 robot features a 360-degree multi-array microphone system, dual-module 5G connectivity, and shoulder touch sensors for responsive physical engagement. At the trade show, BGR attendees focused on talking with the robot and understanding its latest advances in understanding, speech and more.

Finally, BGR saw the Zero W1, also known as the Zeroth W1. Available in the US and China, it costs $7,999 and resembles Disney’s Wall-E. In a bipedal format, this robot can navigate any terrain for everyday physical tasks, like carrying objects or monitoring your home, and also entertain families by playing games, providing video display, and much more.

This robot stands 68 centimeters tall, measures 578 mm by 520 mm on its base and weighs 28 kilograms. It features an eight-core Horizon Sunrise processor running an integrated perception and navigation stack. The robot can tilt its head and raise eyebrows, and has up to 25 hours of battery life, requiring four hours for a full recharge. The company claims it can operate at speeds of up to 1 meter per second on flat terrain and 0.5 meters per second on slopes, meaning it can handle uneven terrain without issue. The W1 supports a payload of 20 kilograms and up to 50 kilograms of traction, making it ideal for transporting outdoor gear, tools or supplies.

The robot has a LiDAR scanner, a 13MP camera for shooting and a 2MP option for surveillance, in addition to an RGBD depth camera. It has built-in GPS, a human infrared sensor, works with 4G, and offers dual-band Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, making it ready for indoor and outdoor tasks.