Emerging Robotics Trends: China's Humanoid Arms Race

China's robotics industry is experiencing a humanoid arms race as start-ups, backed by substantial funding, are launching new robots to gain an edge over tech giants in real-world applications. Recently, Beijing-based Noetix Robotics unveiled its latest creation, the Hobbs W1, a service humanoid designed to appear lifelike, featuring a humanlike female face, a black bob hairstyle, and dexterous hands.

The Hobbs W1 boasts a skin-toned, expressive face with a metallic silver body styled in an ankle-length skirt silhouette, along with six-degrees-of-freedom hands for fine manipulation. In promotional materials shared on the Chinese video-sharing platform Bilibili, Noetix positioned the Hobbs W1 as an all-round service robot capable of performing receptionist tasks and guiding visitors.

The company claims that the humanoid can recognize emotions, engage in natural conversations, and operate effectively in various professional environments, including hospitality, retail, and corporate offices.