What does it take to move from one humanoid robot to a fleet of 1,000?
In a new Forbes article, journalist John Koetsier explores how Hexagon Robotics is approaching one of the industry’s biggest challenges: scaling humanoid robots from individual tasks to reliable industrial operations.
Drawing on a conversation with Hexagon Robotics President Arnaud Robert, the article examines why multipurpose capabilities, continuous learning and repeatable performance are essential to industrial deployment.
As Robert explains, “It’s not one robot doing one task that you multiply by a thousand.” Scaling requires a different approach: fleets of versatile robots capable of performing multiple tasks and adapting to changing demands across factory floors.
The article also explores the engineering choices behind AEON, including its distinctive wheel-leg design, combining efficient mobility with the ability to navigate obstacles and stairs. Koetsier highlights how these capabilities, alongside manipulation, inspection and reality capture, support AEON’s role as a multipurpose industrial platform.
Another key focus is Hexagon Robotics’ sim-to-real-to-sim approach to Physical AI. By capturing information about tasks and their surrounding environments during real-world operations, AEON can generate valuable data that feeds back into training, helping robots learn from the conditions they encounter.
Through examples from BMW Group and Schaeffler, the article illustrates how Hexagon Robotics is addressing the transition from successful pilots to repeatable performance and, ultimately, industrial scale.