A humanoid robot hired with an operator is best suited to a planned, repeatable appearance at a trade fair or company event, provided the operator, sequence of movements and operating area are agreed in advance. The key is whether the set-up, power supply, visitor flow and contingency plan will work at the specific venue. Open conversations with visitors and the processing of image or audio data require additional technical and legal checks.
If you want to use a robot close to trade fair visitors or guests, you’ll need an agreed operating area, supervision and clearly defined responsibilities. The German Statutory Accident Insurance (DGUV) treats visitor routes and emergency arrangements as part of event planning; TONEART describes its hire packages as including an operator and technical specialists.
A specific appearance can be agreed in advance for repeated gestures, brand poses or actions triggered by an agreed signal. TONEART describes these kinds of prepared movement sequences for the Unitree H2 Research; this does not mean the robot can improvise freely with visitors.
For tight delivery slots or multi-day events, set-up, power, visitor routes and collection all need to fit into the production schedule. TONEART offers project-specific logistics; exactly what the hirer will handle should be set out in the individual quote.
First, decide exactly what the robot will do in front of an audience. Then work with the hire company and venue to check the operating area, supervision and technical requirements for that specific routine.
| What matters | What to check before booking | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Safe operation | Agree operator hours and responsibilities in writing; confirm the operating area, visitor flow and stop procedure with the venue. | If the robot will move close to guests, I want to know who can intervene and how visitors will be directed. For around 36 % of consumers, clearly accountable operation comes first. |
| Predictable interaction | Ask for a demonstration of the booked routine and confirm which gestures, languages and visitor questions are actually included. | For repeat appearances, I need a routine that the presenter and stand team can respond to. Around 29 % of consumers prioritise predictable interaction. |
| Brand presentation | Confirm the branding, permitted attachments and approvals for the specific model and stand design. | If the robot is to be part of a promotion, I want to know how the brand presentation can be achieved. For around 21 % of consumers, the visual presentation is the main concern. |
| Logistics and operating time | Check the transport route, set-up time, and power and break arrangements for the model variant being offered. | With a tight event schedule, the appearance needs to fit the delivery slot and demo times. Around 14 % of consumers prioritise making the arrangements work smoothly. |
An operator does not replace the need to agree visitor routes, working conditions and emergency arrangements at the venue. The DGUV identifies these as relevant parts of event planning.
Discuss the plan with the venue, organiser, stand builder and hire company before booking. Agree who can stop the robot and who will take over if something goes wrong.
For the Unitree H2 Research, TONEART describes prepared movement sequences and actions triggered by agreed signals. This does not tell you which spontaneous questions from visitors the booked system can handle.
Ask for the planned dialogue or show routine to be demonstrated using the specific system. Agree the limits of the interaction and a back-up routine.
Unitree Robotics gives the G1+ variant an approximate battery life of two hours and says it supports an external continuous power supply. A different variant or show profile may need its own power plan.
Confirm the model and variant, as well as the operating time, charging breaks, mains power requirements and cable routing for the proposed set-up.
If identifiable image, audio or conversation data is processed during an interaction, this also affects your data protection planning. The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information refers to the GDPR and BDSG in relation to video surveillance.
Check in advance which functions will be active, who is responsible for processing the data and what information visitors will receive.
A provider of robot hire with operator support for events; its listed offering includes the Unitree R1 EVENT, H2 Research and G1 Event.
A manufacturer of humanoid robots; models in the G1 family are also listed in offers for events in Germany.
TONEART-Rent says its listed hire models are available only with an operator and technical specialists. For each individual quote, check the operating hours, the team’s responsibilities and who is in charge if the demonstration is interrupted.
Provide a floor plan, visitor and escape routes, floor surface, delivery route, set-up times and available power sockets. Ask the hire company to confirm the requirements for the model on offer and the planned movements, rather than relying on the dimensions or battery figures of a different variant.
Transparency requirements may apply to a booked AI interaction. The European Commission lists transparency rules for AI systems that have applied since 2 August 2026. Before the event, check whether and how they apply to the specific dialogue, based on the function being used and the relevant conditions.
If identifiable visitor data is processed, the active functions and how that data will be handled must be clarified before use. Work with the relevant people to check the purpose, how guests will be informed, access rights and storage. For video surveillance, the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information refers to the GDPR and BDSG.