“You should not worry about the robot.”
This wasn’t just a throwaway line—it was the philosophical foundation that Chaoyi Li, Head of Globalisation at Booster Robotics, used to captivate audiences at the Humanoids Summit London 2025. And honestly, when someone tells you not to worry about a machine that can apparently survive having concrete broken on it, you tend to pay attention.
The Durability Revolution: When Robots Become Indestructible
Picture this scene at London’s most prestigious humanoid robotics conference: a presenter confidently declaring that their robots are so robust you could literally break concrete on them. Not exactly your typical product demonstration, but then again, Booster Robotics isn’t your typical robotics company.
Li’s presentation centred around a radical departure from the traditional “handle with care” approach to robotics. Instead of treating robots like delicate laboratory instruments, Booster has engineered their machines with real-world resilience in mind.
The “No Worry” Philosophy
The core principle is beautifully simple yet revolutionary: if there’s an error, the robot shouldn’t get damaged when it falls or gets knocked over. This isn’t just about better engineering—it’s about fundamentally changing how we interact with robotic systems.
Think about it: how many times have you seen robot demonstrations where engineers hover nervously, ready to catch their million-pound creation at the first sign of instability? At the Humanoids Summit, even when someone instinctively reached for the safety handle as a robot prepared for push-ups, the underlying message was clear—these machines are built to handle the unexpected.
Developer-First: Starting Small, Thinking Big
One of the most insightful moments of Li’s presentation came when discussing development strategy. Rather than jumping straight to massive, headline-grabbing humanoids, Booster advocates for a “start small, scale up” approach.
Why Smaller Makes Sense
Practical Development: Smaller robots are simply easier for developers to work with. Less weight means fewer safety concerns, easier transportation, and more manageable testing environments.
Economic Reality: While Li diplomatically focused on developer convenience, there’s an obvious economic advantage—if something does go wrong (despite all that durability), smaller robots represent a more manageable investment risk.
Market Reality: There are significantly fewer robot software developers than traditional software developers. By making robotics development more accessible through smaller, more manageable platforms, companies can lower the barrier to entry for this expanding field.
The Developer Shortage Crisis
Li highlighted a critical industry challenge that often gets overlooked in flashy robot reveals: the talent gap. The robotics industry faces a fundamental shortage of specialised developers compared to the broader software development ecosystem.
This scarcity isn’t just about numbers—it’s about accessibility. Traditional robotics development has been the domain of highly specialised engineers working in controlled environments with expensive, fragile equipment. Booster’s approach suggests a different path: democratising robotics development through more robust, approachable platforms.
