Cartwheel’s Yogi robot targets home companionship as Tesla’s factory bots stall

Cartwheel Robotics has unveiled Yogi, a humanoid robot designed for home companionship and light household tasks, marking a shift from factory-focused robotics to personal home assistance. Unlike Tesla’s industrial Optimus robot, Yogi emphasizes emotional connection and human-like interaction, potentially positioning home robotics as a more viable market than manufacturing automation.

What you should know: Yogi represents a fundamentally different approach to humanoid robotics, prioritizing safety and emotional intelligence over industrial performance.

• The robot will be built using medical-grade silicone and protective soft materials, making it safe for close human interaction.
• Features include precision-engineered high-torque actuators with overload protection and a modular, swappable battery system for all-day operation.
• Cartwheel has developed a proprietary full-stack platform integrating custom hardware, AI models, motion systems, and software.

The big picture: While major companies like Tesla focus on factory automation, Cartwheel is betting that humanoid robots will find their first real success in homes rather than industrial settings.

• Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s promise to deploy 1,000 Optimus robots in factories by year-end appears increasingly unlikely, with production facing supply chain issues in China.
• Former Tesla robot team lead Chris Walti suggested that humanoid form factors may not be optimal for industrial work, where “velocity is key” for repetitive tasks.
• This creates an opening for home-focused robots that prioritize interaction over pure performance.

Who’s backing this: Humanoid Global Holdings Corp., a publicly traded investment company, has Cartwheel Robotics in its portfolio and provided the latest update on Yogi’s development.

• The company is expanding operations to Reno, Nevada, with a new Oddie facility expected to open in January 2026.
• Cartwheel has held preliminary discussions with a leading North American medical institution for potential healthcare pilot projects.
• Universities have shown significant interest in Yogi for research applications.

What they’re saying: Company leaders emphasize genuine human connection as the key differentiator in robotics.

• “Cartwheel Robotics is developing humanoids designed for genuine human connection,” explained Shahab Samimi, CEO of Humanoid Global. “By emphasizing trust, functionality, and usability, they’re helping advance the field from mechanical experimentation toward practical human interaction.”
• “We believe the best way to bring humanoid technology into everyday life is by building robots that move, respond, and connect in a genuinely human way,” said Scott LaValley, CEO of Cartwheel Robotics.
• “Yogi is being developed not only as a companion but also as a capable assistant for light tasks in homes and workplaces, designed to remain intuitive, approachable, and reliable.”

What’s next: Cartwheel aims to debut its full-body walking Yogi prototype at the Humanoids Summit in Silicon Valley this December, potentially demonstrating whether home robotics can succeed where factory automation has struggled.