China has revealed a new generation of creepy humanoid robots that are designed for a ‘lifetime’ of companionship.
At an event in the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen, UBTech Robotics launched the world’s first mass–produced ultra–realistic humanoid robots.
These Uworld U1 androids are covered with ‘biomimetic skin’ that looks and feels just like that of a real human.
And the company even claims that the robots’ specially designed ‘spines’ mean they can reproduce 90 per cent of human movements.
The male and female versions stand at 183 and 169 centimetres tall respectively, and weigh about half as much as their average human counterpart.
They are being offered for sale in a basic torso–only version as well as in two full–body options with more advanced features.
UBTech says that prices start at £13,218 (119,88 RMB), with the high–end units costing up to £109,205 (990,000 RMB).
However, not everyone appears to be a fan of the robots, with one horrified viewer branding the bots ‘soulless golems’.
China has revealed a new generation of creepy humanoid robots that are designed for a ‘lifetime’ of companionship
Unlike most humanoid robots, which are designed for factory floors and industrial labour, the U1 androids have been created to be ‘companions’.
UBTech founder Zhou Jian described this as the next phase in ‘human–machine symbiosis’.
He said: ‘First robots work in factories, then they enter our homes, and finally integrate seamlessly into our lives.’
With that goal in mind, these uncanny androids have been designed to be as realistic as possible.
The bots feature 88 servo joints, a specialised dual–pivot biomimetic cervical spine, and thousands of components in the head to reproduce human facial expressions.
Jiao Jichao, vice–president of UBTech and head of its Embodied Intelligence and Humanoid Robotics Research Institute, told the South China Morning Post that the face was the biggest problem.
Mr Jichao says: ‘One of the biggest challenges was making the robot look and behave naturally after fitting complex mechanical systems into a human–sized body, as well as ensuring its facial expressions matched speech and emotion and that it could deliver consistent performance at scale.’
To ensure that the robot can act like a human as well as looking like one, UBTech says each bot comes with an on–board AI specifically designed for ‘long–term companionship’.
At an event in the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen, UBTech Robotics launched the world’s first mass–produced ultra–realistic humanoid robots
These Uworld U1 androids are covered with ‘biomimetic skin’ that looks and feels like a real human
This AI is supposedly capable of ‘recognising more than 20 fine–grained emotional states with an accuracy rate exceeding 90 per cent’.
Staff at the launch event told reporters: ‘The robot can hold conversations, maintain eye contact with users, and is available for sale only to adults.’
UBTech says that 13,361 people have already paid a £330 (3,000 RMB) deposit to secure their spot in the pre–order waitlist.
The company also says it will donate 100 androids to vulnerable groups, including ‘children growing up apart from one or both parents, older adults living alone, and families facing difficult circumstances’, by the end of this year.
On social media, some tech fans were amazed by the announcement, with one commenter writing: ‘It’s so cool looking, like it came right out of a sci–fi movie.’
While another chimed in: ‘Fascinating to see UBTECH delivering this level of realism and emotional intelligence in a mass–produced humanoid.’
However, despite the apparent popularity, some commenters slammed these bots’ eerie appearances and apparently limited functionality.
One commenter wrote on X: ‘A mannequin with a microphone and a c***** AI model, big whoop.’
UBTech says that these robots have been specifically designed to provide companionship, and are pitched as a solution to China’s loneliness problem
‘They do NOT look human,’ added another.
One commenter wrote: ‘It won’t be cheap, obviously, but it’ll be totally worth it, at least until they decide to slit my throat in my sleep.’
This comes after humanoid robots in China suffered several viral disasters.
Shocking footage filmed at a show in Shaanxi Province, China, on 21 March, shows a Unitree robot slapping a young boy across the face.
During a routine, the bot veered towards the crowd with sweeping arm movements, ultimately catching the boy in the head as it performed a pirouette.
Similarly, at a sports day event in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in north–western China, a robot was filmed performing a martial arts routine.
But as children ran onto the pitch to join it, the bot collapsed, aiming kung fu kicks towards baffled performers who worriedly backed away.
