THE humanoid robots they no longer only speak English and Chinese. While the United States and, above all, China continue to dominate the market, Italy is also making its way into the future. Because, as he said Elon Musk after dancing with his robot Optimusthese human-like “machines” will be increasingly present and will be able to help men and women in every area, from hospitals to factories, to prisons, right up to our homes.
More than 50 percent of global production is concentrated in China, with hundreds of units produced per month under government pressure. In the United States, Big Tech dominates first and foremost Teslapushing for ever closer integration between Artificial intelligence and robotics. According to an analysis by Morgan Stanley of 2024, the turnover of these devices could reach a value of approximately 5 trillion dollars per year by 2050, with one billion units operating worldwide.
Humanoid robots: the Italian challenge to the giants of the sector
Other sector focuses, such as those of Future Market Insightspredict that the market could reach a value of between $150 and $180 billion by 2035, driven by the evolution ofArtificial intelligence and the growing shortage of qualified workforce. It is in this development framework that the Italian one fits in Generative Bionics. Last year, the Genoese start-up closed an investment round worth 70 million euros. The operation, one of the most significant in Italian technology in recent years, is led by the Artificial Intelligence fund of Cdp Venture Capitalbut it has also attracted international giants such as AMD Ventures, Eni Next, Duferco and Tether.
The company founded by Daniele Pucci (ceo), Alessio Del Bue (chief business officer) and Davide Rota (executive chairman) wants to integrate Artificial intelligencemechatronics and human sensitivity in a single project: giving a body to AI. «Our goal is to help human beings and amplify their capabilities», Pucci tells Panorama, «this year we will create a prototype ready for industrialization. The market segments that interest us are manufacturing, one of our partners is Dufercofor example, among the world leaders in steel production, and we will announce important new industrial collaborations in the first months of 2026. And then healthcare, where we want to provide support to medical personnel who often fall ill due to continuous and repetitive activities, such as moving patients”. But not only that: «A third segment that we will address is active surveillance, as a robot can be very supportive in inspection and control activities, even remotely, both in the public sector and for private individuals».
Gene.01: the humanoid with intelligent skin born in Genoa
But what will these new robots look like? «The appearance, the design and also its handling are important components for the acceptability of the technology. So our robot will be 170 centimeters tall, weigh approximately 50 kilos, will have manipulation capabilities and will be able to climb stairs, as it has legs. And it will also have skin, which will give it the ability to perceive the human being with a touch.” At the beginning of January the Generative Bionics presented its first prototype, called Gene.01during the opening speech by Lisa Su, CEO of the chip giant Amdat the Ces (Consumer electronic show) in Las Vegas. The body of Gene.01 it is covered in “smart skin”, with force and contact sensors that allow the robot to sense pressure, interactions and micro-contacts across the entire surface.
A result with a prestigious trademark: Pucci’s startup has its roots inItalian Institute of Technology (Iit) of Genoa, the Italian “Robot Valley”. Since 2012, the IIT has launched 41 startups that have raised 220 million euros. The scientific director of the Institute, Giorgio Mettafather of the humanoid robot iCubis optimistic about the future of research in Italy: «In the coming years, and demography also tells us this, we will need many robots in factories. The technology has matured very quickly in the last three years, there have been very important turning points”, he explains. And also regarding the gap with the United States and China, the vision is alternative: «We must not think of Italy chasing someone, because we have not reached the point of arrival, we need to plan, create and implement solutions that could give us a competitive advantage. It is clear that Chinese and American investments are enormous, but we must believe in them a little more, because often, especially in emerging technologies, the company that has had the right ideas and has developed original things that perhaps have not been thought of by others wins. Furthermore, Italy has a culture in robotics and also in industrial automation that is incredible, we have the possibility of drawing on know-how that is really very deeply rooted.”
RoBee and the ward healthcare revolution
There is also another company, the Oversonic Roboticsfounded by Fabio Puglia and Paolo Denti in 2020, in Brianza, which presented its cognitive humanoid robot RoBee on the London stage of Bloomberg Tech 2025 last December, and at CES last month. RoBee M serieswith its 175 centimeters and 80 kilos, it is developed to operate in healthcare environments, including hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and RSAs. Currently, the robot is already used in various situations for experimental activities. Like, for example, in the Roman hospital and research institute Santa Lucia Irccs FoundationWhere RoBee it is used in a neurorehabilitation project.
The robot supports neuropsychologists and speech therapists in cognitive neurorehabilitation sessions for people affected by stroke, with exercises aimed at improving attention, memory, language and executive functions. At the same time, the robot of Oversonic is being implemented at the RSAs of KCS Consortiumwhere he assists the elderly, including patients with Alzheimer’s, while at Villa Beretta Rehabilitation research innovation institute the goal of collaboration is to integrate RoBee in pathways for patients with neurological pathologies. The R series of RoBee (200 centimeters by 180 kilos) is instead designed for industry, designed to carry out repetitive, dangerous and tiring tasks in place of people. As the co-founder and president explains Fabio Pugliathe Oversonic is among the very few companies that are already selling robots to factories: «We already have dozens of machines working in many companies, including multinationals, including in the semiconductor sector. The first example is already operational in the factory of the Italian-French multinational STMicroelectronics in Malta. This partnership is a fundamental step for us and, more generally, for the industrial challenges that these new machines are called upon to face in innovative and highly complex environments. The industrial part for us is a now consolidated market, which will certainly explode and lead us to hundreds of operational units in factories in 2026″.
A concrete approach, which is based on some precise traits, Puglia clarifies: «Our robots are very robust and do not have feet (but a mobile base on a wheel, ed.), a characteristic that makes them very safe and certifiable. They also have batteries capable of providing 8-10 hours of autonomy, covering a working day, another very important element.” There Oversonic it has also arrived overseas, opening an office in Cincinnati and another in Detroit: «We are already ready to sell in America, but we remain a 100 percent made in Italy company». But Puglia’s prospects are also excellent for the medical sector in Italy: «We will obtain the definitive certification for the use of these machines in hospitals, therefore in intensive care and emergency rooms, where there is an increasingly shortage of personnel». Of course, China and the USA are and remain giants, but the Italian companies are expanding and do not aim to compete, but to offer something different. In short, the challenge is not to compete with Chinese prices, a battle lost from the start, but to focus on avant-garde and zero risk, to secure the workplaces and homes that will be populated by the elderly and… robots.
