Humanoid robots could get stuck in traffic because of magnets.

With the explosion of AI, few anticipated that NdFeB magnetic materials would become the biggest bottleneck, potentially determining the speed of global humanoid robot production.

While the tech world is preoccupied with artificial intelligence and robotic "brains," a less-noticed hardware element has emerged as a strategic bottleneck: NdFeB magnets – the core material that determines the ability to manufacture humanoid robots.

According to many recent analyses, as the industry enters the mass production phase, the challenge will quickly shift from software to the physical supply chain, where specialized materials play a vital role.

Neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnets, often called the "king of magnets," possess the highest magnetic energy density and are an indispensable component in the motors of modern robotic joints.

A complex humanoid robot like the Tesla Optimus Gen2 requires dozens of independent motors, consuming approximately 3.5-4 kg of NdFeB, causing demand for this material to skyrocket as production scales up.

The stringent technical requirements, such as high temperature resistance, strong magnetic force, and absolute homogeneity, make NdFeB virtually unsuitable as a replacement in advanced robot design.

This pressure created an unprecedented demand shock, requiring global NdFeB production capacity to increase 186-fold to meet the demand for hundreds of millions of robots annually – a figure far exceeding the expansion rate of industries such as electric vehicles.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that over 90% of rare earth material refining is now in the hands of China, making the global supply chain highly dependent and posing potential geopolitical risks.

In this context, the future of humanoid robots depends not only on AI but also on the supply of tiny magnets, which are quietly controlling the pace of development of the entire industry.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/robot-hinh-nguoi-co-the-tac-duong-vi-nam-cham-post2149098491.html