By Kashmira Konduparty
Nvidia said it plans to work with humanoid robot manufacturers in the United States, Europe, and South Korea as it expands its robotic efforts beyond China, where it recently announced a partnership with Chinese robotics company Unitree, according to a report by Reuters.
The company said the collaborations are aimed at developing standardized humanoid robots for academic researchers and universities, allowing institutions to conduct robotics and artificial intelligence research using a common platform. The effort comes as interest in humanoid robots grows among technology companies seeking new applications for AI-powered machines.
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Nvidia unveiled the initiative after CEO Jensen Huang delivered a keynote address in Taiwan ahead of the Computex technology conference. The company said it is working with Unitree to create a research focused version of the Chinese company’s H2 humanoid robot.
Under the arrangement, Unitree will provide the robot body, while Singapore-based company Sharpa will supply robotic hands. Nvidia will contribute the computing systems and software infrastructure powering the machines.
According to Nvidia executives, universities including Stanford University and University of California San Diego are expected to use the research robots. The company said the goal is to create a consistent platform that allows researchers to develop and test robotics systems more efficiently across institutions.
The announcement comes as Unitree faces increased attention from U.S. lawmakers. Some members of the Congress have raised concerns about the company’s alleged connections to the Chinese government and have proposed restrictions on the use of Unitree products in federally funded research programs.
Nvidia said it is pursuing similar partnerships with robotics companies outside China but has not publicly identified the manufacturers involved.
Nvidia also said cybersecurity will be a central part of the project. The company plans to route software updates and system verification processes through its computing hardware to help ensure the authenticity and security of robot software.
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Nvidia executives said the robots will use the company’s Blackwell chips and security technologies that are commonly deployed in data centers, including secure boot systems and confidential computing protections designed to prevent unauthorized access or malicious code execution.
The company has increasingly positioned its hardware and software as the foundation for next-generation AI systems, including autonomous machines designed to operate in research labs, factories and other real-world environments.