IBM Patent Paves Way for Autonomous Charging of Humanoid Robots
IBM has filed a patent for wireless charging technology that enables humanoid robots to recharge autonomously by standing on specially equipped floor tiles. According to the patent application, US 2026/0291257 A1, filed in March 2025 and published on September 24, 2026, the system combines wireless power transmission, RFID-based positioning, and electromagnets embedded in a humanoid robot's boots and the floor beneath it.
The proposed system would allow robots to navigate to designated charging locations and position their feet over components embedded in the floor. Each robot boot would incorporate a wireless power receiver, an RFID reader, and an electromagnet, while corresponding transmitters, tags, and electromagnets would be installed in the floor.
The RFID system would help establish that the robot's feet are correctly positioned before charging begins, while the electromagnets would secure the robot in place during the charging process. Once properly aligned and secured, electrical power could be transferred wirelessly through the soles of the robot's feet.
IBM's patent addresses an increasingly important practical issue as companies attempt to deploy humanoid robots for longer periods in factories, warehouses, and other industrial environments. Battery capacity remains a constraint for mobile robots, and autonomous charging could allow humanoids to move between work and charging without requiring employees to connect cables or manually position the machines in docking stations.
The patent's first claim covers a process involving alignment of the robot's boots with the charging location, including alignment of the wireless power receiver in the boots with the transmitter in the floor. This system could potentially allow humanoids to incorporate charging into their normal autonomous operating schedule, walking to an equipped location when their battery reaches a specified level and returning to work after charging.
Publication of the patent application does not mean IBM will necessarily commercialize the technology, nor does it indicate that a product based on the system is under development. However, the patent comes as developers of humanoid robots increasingly turn their attention from demonstrations toward the practical requirements of operating machines for extended periods in real workplaces.
Patentlyze notes that the magnetic locking mechanism is particularly significant because maintaining precise alignment is important for reliable wireless power transfer. The website says: 'The electromagnet lock is the detail that makes this practical rather than theoretical. Wireless charging already exists, but a robot that can be nudged off its charging pad mid-session is a reliability problem.'