Robots, robots and more robots. On the one hand, we have Elon Musk developing robots with a focus to have them build the first off-world habitats on the Moon and then Mars in preparation for humans arriving and surviving. In my last article, the focus was on devices working in factories, but this time it's realistic humanoid versions at home.
- In the past few months, Chinese manufacturers have been busy. We start with UBTECH's UWorld U1 as a proactive companion that observes expressions, builds long-term memory of habits and emotions and initiates interactions without words, with the latter being a robot reacting without first being addressed. Launched in June 2026 in Shenzhen under the theme "Love Is Eternal", it features silicone skin, realistic blinking and up to 88 degrees of freedom for natural gestures and eye contact. Targeted at single adults and the elderly, the U1 prioritises emotional presence over chores like cleaning or cooking, with a battery life of 2-4 hours. The initial target users are single adults and empty nest seniors over 60 who may need regular conversation, reminders, comfort or a steady presence during the day.
- Next, there is the Shanghai startup Droidup and their Moya range, with the primary focus on a realistic body and in particular how it feels. The target is elder care, education, hospitality and other places where human contact matters. Based on their Walker 3 skeleton, it has wrapped lattice muscles, tendon-assisted actuators, a simulated rib cage, and soft tissue layers that mimic the feeling of fat and muscle under skin. One claim is that it is 92% close to that of a human on a flat surface. Then there is the realistic silicone skin heated to 32C to 36C, ie, near body temperature. Moya also has 100 total degrees of freedom with 40 dedicated to facial blending for blinks, smiles, eyebrow movement and tiny expression changes. Its amygdala AI watches for stress or fatigue in the face and voice, then acts without waiting for a wake word. Like the early Daleks, it can't climb stairs, so that is one method of escape, if needed. The battery runs about 6 hours.
- As a final example, there is EX Robots who copy real people, both past and present. The initial focus is on the upper body, hands and face, where people tend to notice emotions the most. These realistic robots come with more than 140 degrees of freedom and about 25 micro motors inside the head alone. Every face begins with 3D scanning and digital printing. Then artists finish the food-grade silicone by hand to reproduce skin texture, pores and tiny veins. Scan the person, print the structure, paint the skin, add expression motors and make the face speak. An AI dialogue system combines voice recognition with a knowledge database, allowing the robot to answer questions and hold public conversations. This includes historical figures like Albert Einstein and Chinese poets. The initial target is a museum or exhibition but it can be applied to other places. This is not about companionship, but believability. You could theoretically record enough information about an individual to hold a decent conversation.
- Pricing for all of these is not cheap. The U1 Lite starts around US$17,600 (588,000 baht), the U1 Pro sits around $25,000 and flagship U1 Ultra reaches roughly $146,000 for the male version, and $130,000 for the female version. That is a lot of money for a robot that cannot wash dishes or clean a room. The Moya will set you back around $173,000 with pre-orders in Q4 2026 for a first batch of only 50 units. The EX Robots units start at $110,000 for a standardised half-body service robot with custom builds starting near $210,000.
So, the push continues towards more realistic, human-like robots to provide a wider range of functionality. We are not yet at the Bicentennial Man level, but the Chinese seem to be rushing towards it as fast as they can. Pricing would need to drop significantly for general adoption but that will also come in time as production ramps up. My primary concern still remains -- there is no equivalent of Isaac Asimov around to make sure this stays safe for humans. Privacy is also an issue, these robots are collecting personal data and keeping that locked inside just the robot body is the challenge.
- I've had two annoying experiences with software and hardware this week. One involved Fender Studio Pro which timed out the connection to the audio interface, a Presonus Quantum ES4, and the other was trying to update my Kemper Rig Manager and firmware. Both of these could provide a valuable lesson to companies involved, and for competitors, in how they handle connections and updates for their customers. As I write this, I've had no solution from the German company Kemper and I expect better from Germans. I did solve it temporarily by using my notebook instead of the usual PC but I still want to see a solution. The Fender issue is only solved by restarting everything, again not acceptable in 2026.
James Hein is an IT professional with over 30 years' standing. You can contact him at jclhein@gmail.com.
