其他從事人形機械人研究的歐洲公司還有:
Agile 1（德國）、
Aldebaran Robotics （法國）、
PAL Robotics（西班牙）、
1X Technologies（挪威）、
Oversonic Robotics（義大利）、
Engineered Arts（英國）、
Protoone（波蘭）。
人形機械人的應用範圍涵蓋製造、物流，提供日常家居服務、確保工作環境安全等等。
當然，將其用作軍事用途並不令人意外。1月27日，烏克蘭稱，其人工智慧機械 Droid
TW-7.62 在前線俘虜了三名俄羅斯士兵。
[Note 4]
因此，從提升生產效率、維護國家安全，到緩解心靈孤寂、優化生活質素，人類正步入人形機械人時代。
在2025年5月，摩根士丹利的一份報告指出，到2050年，機械人數量可能高達10億台(目前全球人口約82億)。而製造這種先進的機器，需要至少六種關鍵礦物(見表1)。更重要的是，歐洲大陸缺乏這類礦物，但格陵蘭島卻蘊藏着非常豐富的此等資源。
[Note 5]
公元前800至500年，凱爾特(Celtic)文化因為率先懂得如何錘製鐵屬武器，迅速擊敗所有其他仍使用銅製武器的落後部落，從而控制了歐洲。鐵製工具的使用也促進了他們的文明發展。
[Note 6]
多年前，一位玩《魔獸爭霸》(World
of Warcraft)系列遊戲的年輕人，向我解釋他如何意識到開採礦產對於確保所有戰役勝利的重要性。因此，我們這三代人普遍了解礦產的擁有和開採關乎國家民族生死榮辱的科學邏輯。
[Note 7]
歐洲曾經是一個偉大的文明地域，但由於種種原因，它陷入了一個惡性循環：在各方面都依賴單一個較自己更強大的洲外盟國，逐漸變得懶惰並沉迷於感官享樂 (世界衛生組織數據顯示歐洲的酒精消費量在全球所有區域中最高，每年累計約80萬人因酗酒喪生)，然後更加依賴這個強悍的保護者。
[Note 8]
擺脫這個惡性循環並不難。歷史上，一些歐洲人曾為國家安全、經濟繁榮提供真知灼見。
在1986年出版的《Makers
of Modern Strategy》一書中，26位學者回顧多位思想家如何透過制定一些具有里程碑意義的國家發展策略，深遠地增強了西方的實力。
當中包括馬基雅維利 (Machiavelli 1469-1527) 、
克勞塞維茨(Clausewitz 1780-1831)，
他們分別奠定現代治國策略(strategy
for statecraft) 及戰爭策略 (strategy
for war) 的基礎。這兩種策略都強調戰爭相關物資的穩定充足供應及武器製造能力乃不可或缺;否則，國家安全必將陷於嚴重災危。
另一方面，亞當·史密斯(Adam
Smith 1723-90) 、
弗里德里希·李斯特(
(Friedrich List 1789-1846) ，
則分別奠定現代市場經濟策略(strategy for market
economy) 及治理經濟策略
(strategy for political economy) 的根柢。
[Note 9]
儘管史密斯在其1776著作《國富論》中提倡自由貿易和市場機制，但每當涉及到大英帝國的國家利益時，他的看法就截然不同。例如，當某些特定產業對英國國防至關重要時，他主張政府向這些產業支付補貼，並對其他可能削弱英國製造業獨立性的產業徵收關稅(《國富論》頁429-489)。
[Note 10]
此外，史密斯顯然明白船艦對帝國的實力極為重要，因此在書中支持補貼在殖民地生產海軍物資的工廠，並同意必須禁止將這些產品從殖民地出口到英國以外的任何國家(頁484-610)。
憑藉龐大的艦隊，英國在19至20世紀成為「日不落國」(the
empire on which the sun never sets)。
[Note 11]
致力促成普魯士(Prussia)統一德國的李斯特認定，發展鐵路網絡對於德國在地球上的崛起至關重要。
從1820年開始，他提議建造一系列橫跨歐亞大陸的鐵路網，以德國為中心，向東伸至俄羅斯和中國，向東南直達伊拉克和印度，向南鋪展至埃及和蘇丹，向西南延至阿爾及利亞，向西直通法國。
他認為，一旦快速交通系統建立起來，德國就能進而統一丹麥、荷蘭、瑞士、比利時等在文化和語言方面有共同淵源的國家。
[Note 12]
其部分建議被「鐵血宰相」俾斯麥 (Bismarck 1815-1898) 付諸實踐，並使德國迅速崛起為強國。
鐵礦石及關連金屬乃建造遠洋船舶 、路軌車廂、引擎系統的必不可少組成礦物，歐洲列強在殖民年代透過取得諸類關鍵礦物不斷壯大。
但數據顯示，一戰前曾主導歐洲，甚至全球，的英國和法國，由於不同的原因，忽視了國內製造業的重要性，導致供應鏈萎縮，為二戰期間的軍事實力崩潰埋下了伏筆(見表2)。
二戰後，德國也被迫限制製造業的擴張速度，逐漸落後於洲外強國。整個歐洲在各方面都必須依賴一個超級大國。受盡閒氣的法國總統曾經主張歐洲自力更新(詳見拙文《…馬克龍拒做附庸》，刊《信報》2024年6月) ，但未能獲得積極的迴響。
[Note 13]
經濟停滯不前的歐洲，已經逐漸被一些規模較大的發展中國家趕上。2022年，印度的國民生產總值超越英國，成為全球第五大經濟體。2024年巴西也超越意大利，成為第八大經濟體。
[Note 14]
全人類即將進入人工智能和機械人技術的新時代，滯後的歐洲能否抓住這一機會實現復興，取決於諸多因素，其中之一就是擁有製造突破性機械所需的材料。可惜「認賊作父」、尊稱掠奪者為「Daddy 」的人，仍然穩居歐洲領導高層，甘願拱手讓出格陵蘭。
[Note 15]
展望快將到來的轉折點，當其他強國生產數以億計的機械人，而歐洲空有製造無人機和人形機械人所需的設計藍圖和操作軟件，但卻因為失去格陵蘭島，缺乏必要的礦產資源供應鏈，只能夠勉勉強強製造五、六百萬具，復興的最後希望必然隨風而逝。
Notes
[Note 1]
2025 0515 Morgan Stanley
“Humanoids: A $5 Trillion
Market”
https://www.morganstanley.com/insights/articles/humanoid-robot-market-5-trillion-by-2050
The humanoids market could
surpass $5 trillion by 2050, including sales from supply chains and networks
for repair, maintenance and support.
2025 0527 Market Index
“Rise of the machines: How
1 billion humanoid robots by 2050 will drive a surge in critical minerals
demand”
https://www.marketindex.com.au/news/rise-of-the-machines-how-1-billion-humanoid-robots-by-2050-will-drive-a
Here’s a shopping list of
critical minerals Morgan Stanley predicts will be required to produce just one
humanoid (on average, approximately):
0.9kg NdPr (neodymium
praseodymium, i.e., one of the main “rare earth” minerals)
2kg Lithium
6.5kg Copper
1.4kg Nickel
180g Cobalt
3kg Graphite
2023 Nov Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland
(GEUS)
Geology and Ore Issue No.34
Nov 2023
“Critical raw material
resources in Greenland”
https://data.geus.dk/pure-pdf/2023_Rosa_Critical_raw_material_resources.pdf
2026 0205 CWIEME Berlin
“Greenland’s Mineral Edge:
Opportunity and Obstacles”
https://berlin.cwiemeevents.com/articles/greenlands-mineral-edge
2026 0108 CSIS
“Greenland, Rare Earths,
and Arctic Security”
https://www.csis.org/analysis/greenland-rare-earths-and-arctic-security
2026 0110 GeoExpOre
“Greenland’s Mineral Riches
and Arctic Geopolitics
https://geoexpore.com/greenlands-mineral-riches-and-arctic-geopolitics-implications-for-us-policy/
[Note 2]
See p.299 in
Paul Kennedy (1987), “The
Rise and Fall of the Great Powers”, New York: Random House.
Wiki, The Rise and Fall of
the Great Powers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rise_and_Fall_of_the_Great_Powers
https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Fall-Great-Powers/dp/0679720197
[Note 3]
2026 0126 InterAlpen Partners
“NEURA Robotics takes
center stage at CES 2026!”
https://www.interalpenllc.com/post/neura-robotics-takes-center-stage-at-ces-2026
Las Vegas, NV - CES 2026
was all about expanding the horizon of cognitive robotics. We revealed Gen 3.5
of our humanoid robot, 4NE1, developed in collaboration with Studio F. A.
Porsche.
2026 0105 Neura
“Neura Robotics unveils
next-generation robots and announces exciting CES 2026 Program”
https://neura-robotics.com/neura-robotics-at-ces-2026/
NEURA CES exhibit will
demonstrate the capabilities of its industry-leading Neuraverse platform
New generation of the
Humanoid 4NE1 as well as its smaller version, 4NE1 Mini, and the NEURA
Quadruped Robot will be revealed
CEO David Reger will be
joined by guests, such as Spencer Huang from NVIDIA, and David Kehr from
Schaeffler
Las Vegas, USA/Metzingen, Germany:
January 5, 2026 – NEURA Robotics, the pioneer in cognitive robotics and creator
of the Neuraverse operating system, today announced its participation at CES
2026 in Las Vegas, where it will showcase the future of intelligent machines
and connected human-robotic ecosystems.
[Note 4]
2026 0127 United 24 Media
“This Ukrainian AI Robot
Just Captured Three Russian Soldiers on the Front Line—Video”
https://united24media.com/latest-news/this-ukrainian-ai-robot-just-captured-three-russian-soldiers-on-the-front-line-video-15373
[Note 5]
2025 0515 Morgan Stanley
“Humanoids: A $5 Trillion
Market”
https://www.morganstanley.com/insights/articles/humanoid-robot-market-5-trillion-by-2050
Although humanoids are still under development, there could be more than 1 billion by 2050, with 90% used for industrial and
commercial purposes.
[Note 6]
2023 EBSCO
“Celtic Warfare”
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/military-history-and-science/celtic-warfare
Celtic warfare refers to
the military practices and strategies of the Celtic tribes that flourished in
Europe from around the 5th century BCE until their eventual subjugation by the
Roman Empire. Characterized by a lack of centralized authority, the Celts
organized themselves around chieftains and defensive settlements known as
oppida. Their military prowess allowed them to expand their territory, engaging
in significant conflicts with neighboring powers, including the Romans and
Carthaginians. The Celts were known for
their iron weaponry, including long swords and spears, and utilized tactics such as headlong
charges and psychological warfare to unsettle their enemies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celts
zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/凯尔特人
[Note 7]
Google AI Overview
In World of Warcraft (WoW),
mining is a primary profession that involves finding, extracting, and smelting
ore nodes scattered throughout the game world, which are essential for crafting
weapons and armor used in combat. This gathering activity is crucial for
gearing up, as mined materials (such as Copper, Iron, Thorium, or the new War
Within ores like Bismuth and Ironclaw) are key components for Blacksmithing,
Engineering, and Jewelcrafting.
[Note 8]
2025 0508 WHO
“European Health Alliance
on Alcohol launched to reduce the unsustainable toll of alcohol harms in Europe”
https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/08-05-2025-european-health-alliance-on-alcohol-launched-to-reduce-the-unsustainable-toll-of-alcohol-harms-in-europe
The WHO European Region has
the heaviest alcohol consumption of all regions in the world. Alcohol use
causes a significant reduction in life expectancy in Europe, especially among
men. Here, every hour, alcohol causes over 80 deaths, adding up to approximately 800 000 lives lost each
year.
[Note 9]
See
Ch. 1 “Machiavelli: The
Renaissance of the Art of War”,
Ch. 7 “Clausewitz”, and
Ch. 8 “Adam Smith,
Alexander Hamilton, Friedrich List: The Economic Foundations of Military Power”
in
Peter Paret (ed.) (1986),
“Makers of Modern Strategy: from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age”, Oxford:
Clarendon Press.
https://www.amazon.com/Makers-Modern-Strategy-Machiavelli-Nuclear/dp/0691027641/
[Note 10]
R.H. Campbell, A.S. Skinner and W.B. Todd, (ed.)
(1976). “An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations”,
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-glasgow-edition-of-the-works-and-correspondence-of-adam-smith-9780198281849
[Note 11]
Wiki, The Empire on which
the sun never sets
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_empire_on_which_the_sun_never_sets
[Note 12]
See Ch. 8 “Adam Smith,
Alexander Hamilton, Friedrich List: The Economic Foundations of Military Power”
in
Peter Paret (ed.) (1986),
“Makers of Modern Strategy: from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age”, Oxford:
Clarendon Press.
https://www.amazon.com/Makers-Modern-Strategy-Machiavelli-Nuclear/dp/0691027641/
[Note 13]
我的《信報》文章(2024年6月28日A16頁)
《喜馬拉雅山峰發臭 與 馬克龍拒做附庸》
www1.hkej.com/dailynews/commentary/article/3804992/喜馬拉雅山峰發臭與馬克龍拒做附庸
[Note 14]
2022 0903 The Hindu
“India overtakes U.K. to
become fifth largest economy in the world”
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-overtakes-uk-to-become-fifth-largest-economy-in-the-world/article65844906.ece
2024 0808 The Macao News
“Brazil has leapfrogged
Italy to become world’s 8th largest economy”
https://macaonews.org/news/lusofonia/brazil-italy-world-economy-gdp-economy-imf/
[Note 15]
2025 0625 POLITICO
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/25/nato-chief-calls-trump-daddy-00423485
THE HAGUE — NATO
Secretary General Mark Rutte surprised reporters Wednesday by calling President
Donald Trump “Daddy,” a moment of levity in a serious NATO summit.
20260214 《文匯網》
https://www.wenweipo.com/a/202602/14/AP698fe1b4e4b04d7d56d37f74.html
「誰是你爸爸？」據美國「政治新聞網」13日報道，北約秘書長呂特在慕尼黑安全會議期間接受該媒體採訪時回應了叫美國總統特朗普「爸爸」的原因，並稱自己已接納了這個梗。
