What Goes Into a Humanoid Robot? The Bill of Materials Explained

By Adam Patti, Chief Executive Officer, VistaShares | Published November 13, 2026

A humanoid robot’s bill of materials is the list of components needed to build one: actuators that move each joint, sensors and cameras, dexterous hands, computing chips, batteries, wiring and the frame. Analysts estimate that actuators, the motors, gearboxes and screws in each joint, account for roughly half or more of the hardware cost. Estimates of the total vary widely, but research firms broadly expect costs to fall as production scales, with the share of spending on chips rising over time.

Why look at a humanoid’s bill of materials?

Humanoid robots combine technologies from electric vehicles, industrial automation, consumer electronics and AI. Breaking a robot into components shows which industries could supply it and where costs are concentrated. It also helps explain why cost is one of the main barriers to adoption: a robot must be affordable relative to the work it performs. Our article on humanoid robots explained covers the broader theme.

What are the main components?

Actuators. Each joint needs a motor, a reduction gear and often a screw that converts rotation into linear motion. Common parts include frameless torque motors, harmonic reducers, planetary gearboxes and planetary roller screws. A full-size humanoid can have 25 to 40 or more joints, counting the hands.

Hands. Dexterous hands with many small actuators, tendons and tactile sensors are among the most complex subsystems.

Sensors. Cameras, depth sensors, sometimes lidar, inertial measurement units, force and torque sensors at the joints and wrists, and tactile sensors in the fingertips.

Compute. Onboard processors that run perception, planning and control models, plus chips for motor control.

Battery and power electronics. Battery packs similar in chemistry to those in electric vehicles, with inverters and power management.

Structure and wiring. Lightweight frames, often aluminum alloys and engineering plastics, plus cables and connectors throughout.

Software. Not a physical part, but a significant development cost.

How much does a humanoid cost to build?

Published estimates differ widely because they assume different designs, production volumes and regions.

McKinsey estimated in April 2026 that a typical humanoid bill of materials ranges from roughly $30,000 to $150,000 per unit, with actuators making up 40% to 60% of the total, sensing and perception 10% to 20%, compute and control 10% to 15%, structural components 5% to 10% and battery modules 5% to 10%. Costs under $20,000 are widely cited as the long-term target.¹

Goldman Sachs raised its 2035 humanoid market forecast in January 2024 to $38 billion, citing in part a roughly 40% reduction in its estimate of the bill of materials.³

The range of these figures is itself useful information: it shows how early the industry is and how much depends on scale.

How do designs affect the bill of materials?

Design choices shift costs between components. Robots built for factory floors may use wheels instead of legs, which removes several leg actuators and simplifies balance. Simpler grippers cost far less than human-like hands but limit the tasks a robot can do. Some designs use more sensors and computing to compensate for cheaper mechanical parts. Because developers are still experimenting, the bill of materials for a typical humanoid may look quite different in a few years.

Why do actuators dominate the cost?

Actuators must be strong, precise, compact, efficient and durable, and a humanoid needs many of them. Precision parts such as harmonic reducers and roller screws require specialized grinding and machining, and the number of suppliers capable of producing them at high quality is limited. Analysts expect costs to fall as volumes rise and as manufacturers adapt production methods from electric vehicles and industrial automation, but actuators are likely to remain a large share of cost for some time.

Why might chips become a bigger share?

As mechanical parts get cheaper with scale, the relative cost of computing is expected to grow. More capable robots need more onboard processing for vision, language understanding and real-time control, and they may carry more sensors. McKinsey puts compute and control at 10% to 15% of the bill of materials today, a share that could rise as robots take on more tasks.¹ Our article on physical AI explained covers the software and models driving that demand.

Where is the supply chain concentrated?

Much of the humanoid hardware supply chain overlaps with industries where China has large manufacturing bases, including motors, batteries, reducers and electronics. China accounted for 54% of the world’s industrial robot installations in 2024, according to the International Federation of Robotics, and many of the same motor, reducer and battery suppliers also serve humanoid makers.² Japan, Germany, South Korea and the United States host key suppliers of precision components, sensors and chips. Our article on industrial automation versus humanoids compares this supply chain with that of traditional factory robots.

What does this mean for investors?

The bill of materials suggests that humanoid exposure can come from many directions: motor and gear makers, bearing and screw producers, sensor companies, chip designers, battery suppliers and robot developers themselves. Many of these suppliers depend mostly on other markets today, such as automotive and industrial equipment, so humanoid demand would be an incremental driver. Risks include slow adoption, rapid price declines, competition from low-cost producers, trade restrictions and the possibility that designs change which components are needed.

Frequently asked questions

What is an actuator?

An actuator is a device that creates motion. In a humanoid robot, each joint typically uses an electric motor combined with a gearbox or screw that converts the motor’s fast, low-force rotation into slower, stronger movement. Actuators must be precise, compact and durable, and a humanoid needs dozens of them, which is why they account for a large share of cost.

What is a harmonic reducer?

A harmonic reducer, also called a strain wave gear, is a compact gear system that uses a flexible toothed ring inside a rigid one to achieve high reduction ratios with very little backlash. It allows a small motor to produce precise, powerful movement. Harmonic reducers are widely used in industrial robot arms and in humanoid joints, and they require precision manufacturing.

Why are cost estimates so different?

Estimates depend on the robot’s design, the number of joints and sensors, the production volume assumed and where components are sourced. A prototype built in small numbers costs far more per unit than a robot produced at scale. Some estimates cover only hardware, while others include assembly, software or margins. Comparing figures requires checking what each one includes.

How cheap do humanoids need to be?

That depends on the job and the alternative. In factories and warehouses, buyers compare a robot’s total cost of ownership, including maintenance and downtime, with the cost of labor or other automation over several years. Many analyses suggest prices would need to fall substantially from current levels for broad adoption, though early deployments may justify higher costs in specialized roles.

Do humanoids use the same parts as electric vehicles?

Some. Humanoids use batteries, motors, power electronics and sensors similar to those in electric vehicles, and several automakers have humanoid programs. That overlap could help costs fall faster, because suppliers can reuse factories and processes. Precision parts such as harmonic reducers, roller screws and dexterous hands are more specialized and less shared with vehicles.

How do thematic ETFs provide humanoid exposure?

Robotics and automation ETFs typically hold industrial robot makers, component suppliers, sensor and chip companies and some developers of humanoid robots. Pure humanoid companies are few and many are private, so exposure usually comes through suppliers with broader businesses. Reviewing a fund’s holdings shows how much relates to humanoids versus established automation markets.

Cite this page: Adam Patti, "What Goes Into a Humanoid Robot? The Bill of Materials Explained," VistaShares, updated November 13, 2026, https://www.vistashares.com/humanoid-robot-bill-of-materials/. Plain-text version.

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