What happens when a Chinese humanoid robot visits your house - NBC News
By Joanna Stern Over the past few weeks, I’ve been spending time with a Unitree G1 humanoid — both in my house and in the warehouse where these robots are being imported from China by the thousands.
Key takeaways
- The most recent developments in humanoid robotics show a surge of production‑scale efforts, new biomimetic designs, and breakthroughs in AI‑driven manipulation.
- 1X Technologies has opened a fully integrated factory in Hayward, California, and begun full‑scale production of its NEO humanoid, which uses NVIDIA’s Jetson Thor processor and the Isaac robotics platform.
- After a sold‑out launch in October, the company says domestic shipments to consumers are slated to start in 2026.
- In Shanghai, DroidUp unveiled Moya, a 1.65‑metre, 32‑kilogram robot that mimics human tissue movement with pneumatic muscles, holds eye contact, and reproduces micro‑expressions; the firm targets a commercial release for late 2026 at a price of about 1.2 million yuan, aiming at healthcare and education institutions.
- Hyundai’s robotics plans remain constrained by the limited output of Boston Dynamics’s Atlas units—about four per month—but a new Boston Dynamics manufacturing facility is expected to enable mass production of Atlas as it transitions from prototype to production.
Buyer next steps
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By Joanna Stern
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been spending time with a Unitree G1 humanoid — both in my house and in the warehouse where these robots are being imported from China by the thousands.
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Whatever you do, don't let it anywhere near your toes.
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A Hangzhou Unitree Technology Co. robot at the company's store on Feb. 24 in Beijing.
By Joanna Stern
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