[theqoo] “THE LOOKS OF AN IDOL” 168CM TALL, 35KG.. A LOOK INTO CHINA’S “ROBOT COMPANION”

A high-end “home humanoid robot” has recently made headlines in China. It stands out not only for its striking, idol-like appearance but also for its realistic reproduction of details such as skin texture, blood vessels, fingerprints, and even eyelashes.

According to the Chinese media outlet *Hongxing News* today, UBTech, a leading Chinese robotics company, held a global launch event in Shenzhen yesterday (the 30th of last month). There, the company unveiled the “U1 Series,” a home humanoid robot that marks the first product from its consumer-facing brand, “UWORLD.”

The U1 model was designed with a physique of 183 cm in height and 42 kg in weight for the male version, and 168 cm in height and 35.2 kg in weight for the female version. It is equipped with 88 movable joints and features functions such as blinking and head rotation. A demonstration of its walking capability was not conducted on this occasion. While the robot boasts a sophisticated appearance, observers note that its movements, which appear slightly delayed, inevitably create a sense of awkwardness once it begins to move.

Prices for this “companion robot” range from a minimum of 119,800 yuan (17K USD) to a maximum of 990,000 yuan (145K USD). Orders for the U1 series, scheduled for delivery starting in mid-September, surpassed 13,000 units as of yesterday.

Zhou Jian, the founder of UBTECH, stated, “If a robot can perform household chores, satisfy emotional needs, and feature an aesthetically pleasing design, then a price tag of 100,000 to 200,000 yuan cannot be considered expensive.” He added, however, that prices could decrease as mass production scales up and the consumer base diversifies.

The primary reason for the high price point is the complexity of the manufacturing process. For instance, during the current pre-mass-production phase, eyebrows and eyelashes must be implanted strand by strand by hand. Zhou noted, “This level of manufacturing complexity is rare in the history of human manufacturing,” adding that the projected mass production volume for this year is 10,000 units, with a goal of achieving a production capacity of 50,000 units by 2027.

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