Honda demonstrates remote-controlled robot for complex physical tasks

The international automobile company has demonstrated a new robotic system that enables users to perform complex tasks remotely, using a combination of dexterous robotic hands and AI-assisted controls.

The company showed off its Honda Avatar Robot earlier this month at the CEATEC 2026 conference in Japan, with potential applications ranging from equipment maintenance and medical support to disaster response and space exploration.

The robot is designed to closely imitate human dexterity, with 16 degrees of freedom in each of its two multi-fingered hands. Honda’s hand technology also features 16 actuated joints, up to 180 degrees per second.

In previous demonstrations, the system performed intricate tasks including threading a needle, tightening a small screw and manipulating a bolt.

The design aims to address a persistent manipulation problem in robotics. While machines are becoming smarter and more capable of navigating complex environments, the ability to perform intricate tasks or handle fragile objects remains a challenge for deployment.

Teleoperation, which enables a human to control or direct a robot remotely, offers a way to bridge that gap as autonomous capabilities develop.

George Chowdhury, an analyst at ABI Research, said teleoperation is “critical” for the commercial viability of humanoids.

“The physical AI market today depends heavily on teleoperation due to the fragility of current AI models for robotics,” he said. “When autonomous systems fail, decision makers need the reassurance that a production line will not be down for an extended period.”

And Honda’s approach could also open up applications where full autonomy is either too expensive or technically impractical, according to Abdil Tunca, an analyst at Gartner. Honda’s approach is not entirely new, he noted.

“This is an unusual approach but not the first. However, Honda’s solution has more commercial potential,” he said.

Teleoperation fills the gaps in autonomous robotics

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