Chinese robotics technology company UBTECH has started distributing its humanoid robot series UWorld U1 to consumers beginning September 16, 2026. The robots are produced in three versions: U1 Lite, U1 Pro, and U1 Ultra, with prices ranging from ¥119,800 (approximately $17,600 USD) to ¥990,000 (approximately $145,000 USD). The company has announced that pre-orders exceeded 13,361 units by June 30.
The U1 robot series is primarily designed to live alongside humans and provide companionship in a friendly manner. It is equipped with conversational abilities, emotion recognition capabilities, and natural movements with corresponding facial expressions to interact with people. The robot features 88 degrees of freedom in body movement to respond more naturally in a human-like manner.
Currently, the U1 robot has not yet reached the level of a fully autonomous home assistant robot capable of independently completing household tasks without instruction. However, it has been designed with a focus on communicating with people and providing emotional support and companionship similar to a friend.
Ref: Technology Innovation
