WIRobotics captured global attention at CES 2026 this week, showcasing both wearable walking-assist robots and advanced humanoid systems to industry stakeholders in Las Vegas. The South Korean company, co-led by CEOs Younbaek Lee and Yongjae Kim, demonstrated its WIM S wearable robot alongside the ALLEX humanoid platform at the Venetian Expo.
Chinese robotics firms dominated humanoid shipments in 2025, accounting for the vast majority of roughly 13,000 units sold globally according to research firm Omdia. Shanghai AgiBot Innovation Technology shipped an estimated 5,168 robots last year, followed by Unitree Robotics and UBTech Robotics. Global sales more than quintupled from 2024 levels.
Unitree's latest H2 humanoid demonstrated advanced movement capabilities in viral training footage released January 4, performing a 360-degree aerial spinning kick that shattered a suspended watermelon. The 180-centimeter tall robot weighs approximately 70 kilograms and features 31 joints for improved flexibility and motion control.
WIRobotics has supplied its wearable walking-assist robot WIM to the general public for approximately three years, establishing market presence before broader wearable robot adoption. The upgraded WIM S model expanded beyond Korea into European, Chinese, and Japanese markets starting in 2025.
Existing WIM users from around the world visited the WIRobotics booth at CES 2026 to experience upgraded features and share how the technology changed their daily lives since 2024 adoption. The company's wearable robots focus on naturally fitting users' bodies while providing only necessary assistance levels.
Chinese companies occupied 21 of the 38 booths devoted to humanoid robot technology at CES 2026, according to show data, with Unitree demonstrating acrobatic routines and X-Humanoid showcasing sprinting capabilities. X-Humanoid's Embodied Tien Kung Ultra became the first humanoid robot to complete a half-marathon (21.0975 km) fully autonomously in 2:40:42.
WIRobotics' humanoid robot ALLEX attracted purchase interest from global AI and technology companies following live demonstrations. The company is currently discussing potential collaborations with NVIDIA, Meta, and Amazon, with several discussions progressing to specific technical collaboration directions.
Tesla is estimated to have produced only a few hundred Optimus robots to date, according to industry estimates, with CEO Elon Musk previously citing $20,000-$30,000 price targets. Chinese companies offer significantly lower pricing, with Unitree's entry-level model at $6,000 and AgiBot units around $14,000.
Hyundai Motor Group plans to deploy Boston Dynamics' new electric Atlas robot at its Metaplant in Georgia starting in 2028, following the humanoid's unveiling earlier this month. The company already uses Spot quadruped robots for quality inspections alongside human workers at the facility.
South Korean company AeiROBOT aims to deploy humanoid robots in shipyards within three years, partnering with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries on manufacturing AI transformation projects. The company demonstrated fire suppression capabilities at shipyard sites in December.
Omdia projects global humanoid robot shipments will grow to 2.6 million units by 2035, driven by increasingly capable AI models and dexterous physical manipulators. The research firm cites Chinese vendors as setting benchmarks in large-scale production capabilities.
WIRobotics' wearable robot design philosophy emphasizes comfortable fit, balanced assistive support, and suitability for extended daily use rather than short-term demonstrations. The company began commercial sales of lower-back and walking-assist wearable robots in 2023.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang predicted robots with human capabilities will arrive this year during CES 2026 discussions, citing rapid technology advancement. Huang specifically mentioned AgiBot during his keynote address at the Las Vegas trade show.
The International Federation of Robotics reported AI robot deployments at industrial worksites doubled over the past decade despite pandemic-related downturns. IFR President Takayuki Ito said 2026 will usher in a highly dynamic phase for the robotics industry.
Market.us projects AI factories combining artificial intelligence and robotics will expand into a $1.0215 trillion market by 2032. The South Korean government identified physical AI including robots as poised to emerge as the world's leading sector in its economic growth strategy.
WIRobotics continues exhibiting at CES 2026 through January 11 at the Venetian Expo Hall A-D Booth 54635, engaging global audiences with hands-on WIM S demonstrations and live ALLEX humanoid presentations. The company was founded in 2021 and unveiled the upper body of its ALLEX humanoid robot in summer 2025.
