Humanoid robotics in real-world use: Terra Robotics and Rossmann in Burgwedel

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Humanoid robotics reaches logistics practice

Humanoid robotics is increasingly evolving from a topic of innovation into a real option for operational processes. What was long visible primarily in research, development, and public demonstrations is now being tested in genuine business environments. This development is currently particularly evident in logistics.

A concrete example of this is the pilot project by Rossmann in Burgwedel. Since March 2026, the humanoid robot UBTech Walker S2 has been undergoing testing there. The goal is to gain practical experience in the use of humanoid robotics in logistics processes, to examine the relief of employees, and to create the basis for a potential subsequent scaling.

Rossmann and Terra Robotics set a clear signal

The fact that Rossmann is one of the first companies in Europe to test a humanoid robot of this type in logistics is a clear signal. It shows that humanoid robotics is no longer viewed merely as a media-friendly future technology, but as a potential building block of modern logistics and automation strategies.

The UBTech Walker S2 was delivered by Terra Robotics from Löhne. Terra Robotics is also supporting Rossmann with the technical implementation of the system. According to Rossmann, the project is investigating how the robot can be integrated into existing workflows, what IT infrastructure is necessary for this, and how quickly new applications can be programmed.

What the pilot project in Burgwedel is all about

The project is not intended as a short technology test, but follows a clear roadmap throughout the entire year 2026. This initially involves concrete use cases, followed by step-by-step practical implementation, and ultimately an assessment of whether and to what extent an expansion is sensible.

Rossmann is pursuing a deliberately practical approach. The focus is not on the question of how impressive the technology is in theory, but on what it can actually achieve in everyday life. Based on its own experience, the company wants to find out where humanoid robotics works in logistics, what its limits are, and how automation and digitalization can be meaningfully combined.

The UBTech Walker S2 in the real logistics environment

The UBTech Walker S2 used has been developed specifically for industrial and logistics applications. Rossmann describes the robot as support particularly for repetitive and physically unergonomic tasks in order to relieve employees in logistics.

Technically, the Walker S2 provides several features for this: According to Rossmann, it possesses 52 degrees of freedom and can therefore imitate or even exceed human movements in many areas. In addition, it can change its battery independently, which is an important factor for longer and low-interruption operations in operational environments. Further reports also describe the Walker S2 as capable of autonomous navigation and of gripping and transporting objects.

Why real-world use is more important than the hype

Public attention for humanoid robotics is currently very high. In its communication, Rossmann itself emphasizes that there is currently a lot of hype surrounding the topic. This makes it all the more important for the company to gain reliable findings based on real deployments rather than relying solely on technological promises.

Exactly this point makes the project in Burgwedel strategically interesting. The deciding factor is not just whether a humanoid robot can perform tasks in principle, but whether it fits neatly into existing processes, interacts with existing IT, and is meaningfully usable in daily operations. Equally important is the question of how employees experience working with the system and how high the acceptance in everyday life actually is.

From technology to a scalable logistics solution

The actual relevance of this project lies in its potential transferability. Based on the test results, Rossmann aims to develop a long-term viable, scalable deployment concept for humanoid robotics in its own logistics. This also includes evaluating in which areas a rollout could be sensible.

Thus, the pilot project in Burgwedel becomes more than just an innovation signal. It is a testing ground for how humanoid robotics could be used in intralogistics in the future — not as a show effect, but as a potentially economically viable component of real operational processes. That is precisely where the difference between technical attention and genuine market relevance lies.

Terra Robotics accompanies the step into practice

For Terra Robotics, the project is an important building block in its positioning as a partner for smart robotics solutions in real-world use. The role does not end with the provision of the technology. The decisive factor is accompanying the implementation, classifying potential application scenarios, and translating technological possibilities into practicable fields of application.

Especially with humanoid robotics, this practical relevance is central. Companies do not need abstract future visions, but reliable answers to operational questions: Which tasks are realistic? How does a system integrate into existing processes? What is the technical and organizational effort? And what potential arises from this in the long term? Exactly such questions are now being tested in Burgwedel under real conditions.

Focus on real utility

Humanoid robotics becomes relevant for companies when it not only fascinates technologically but creates a comprehensible utility in the operational environment. Pilot projects like Rossmann's help to realistically assess potential, narrow down areas of application, and build experience before larger rollout decisions are made.

This is exactly where the added value of such projects lies: they provide orientation. Instead of relying on abstract expectations, concrete decision-making bases are created for the question of where humanoid robotics can actually be meaningfully used in logistics.

Conclusion

The pilot project by Rossmann and Terra Robotics in Burgwedel shows that humanoid robotics has reached the next stage of practical testing. With the UBTech Walker S2, not only is a new technology being introduced, but it is being tested under real conditions to see how humanoid robotics can be integrated into logistics workflows, how employees can be relieved, and which prerequisites must be met for subsequent scaling.