Sept 18 (Reuters) - Humanoid on Thursday unveiled the

UK's first humanoid robot for industrial use, as the startup

hopes to gain a foothold in the growing artificial intelligence

robotics industry.

The wheeled robot, dubbed HMND 01 Alpha, will be tested

across industrial facilities, gathering insights on whether

certain functions need refinement. This will help shape its Beta

version, scheduled for launch in the third quarter of next year,

Humanoid said.

Humanoid's robot stands at 220 centimetres tall and features

wheels, allowing it to reach speeds of up to 7.2 kilometres per

hour and carry payloads of 15 kilograms or more.

Companies, including industry majors like Nvidia ( NVDA )

and Tesla, are investing in autonomous

technologies such as robots to boost manufacturing output, while

also handling repetitive, hazardous tasks.

The advent of AI and machine learning has raised interest in

robotics, as large language models enable bots to perform

human-like tasks, giving rise to well-funded startups that are

eager to grab market share.

Humanoid, which will operate on a robots-as-a-service

business model, is backed by $50 million in founder-led capital

and a team that includes alumni from Apple, Tesla, Google,

Boston Dynamics and Nvidia ( NVDA ), the company said.