Frenchie, writing on X, identifies three key bottlenecks for the development of humanoid robots:

• Actuators and precision mechanics to enable “bots to achieve strength and precision in compact, lightweight and reliable joints.” The challenge is producing joints that hold up over time at reasonable cost.
• Hands and sensing. Seeing an object isn’t sufficient to manipulate it. “You also need to gauge the force, detect when it slips, and correct the movement before dropping it. … The issue isn’t just dexterity — it’s dexterity that withstands repeated use.”
• Vision and perception sensors. Recognizing a cup in an image is one thing, knowing where it is in a kitchen is another. “The robot must estimate distances, spot obstacles and tack its own movements to maintain balance.” Required: image sensors, depth sensors, and inertial measurement.

Dozens of companies are working within the humanoid robot value chain. Frenchie predicts phases of hype, followed by pullbacks, followed by real progress. Humanoid robots are coming.