Chinese startup brings Moya, world's first biomimetic AI robot with human touch, emotions

In a landmark feat in the realm of robotics, China has developed a human-like robot named Moya, brought about by a Chinese robotics startup as the world’s first biomimetic AI robot.

The human-looking robot was revealed by the Shanghai-based company Droidup and is designed to closely resemble humans, featuring attributes such as realistic skin texture, human-like locomotion, facial tracking, and advanced artificial intelligence.

Primarily, the robot is to serve public engagement roles in sectors like healthcare, education, and customer service.

Moya: Key features of China's biomimetic AI robot

The most incredible feature of Moya is the warm skin that sets her apart from traditional cold, metallic robots.

The robot maintains a body temperature between 32°C and 36°C in order to feel more human when touched. Robots designed to assist humans should not feel lifeless, Droidup Founder Li Qingdu remarked.

Droidup believes that warm interactions and subtle facial expressions help build emotional connections, though experts caution that these human traits can create discomforting experiences.

Another point to be noted is that Moya exhibits some stiffness in her movements, and her skin retains a slightly plastic appearance. It is equipped with cameras where her eyes should be, and she can track faces and movements.

As per the company, she can display microexpressions and respond naturally using built-in AI, labelling her a “fully biomimetic embodied intelligent robot.”

Moya is powered by an internal skeletal system known as Walker 3, building on earlier models that excelled in robotics competitions. The company also boasts that Moya's walking accuracy is 92%, and other specifics remain unclear.

The robot is expected to enter the market at an estimated price of ¥1.2 million (around £127,000). With the internet dishing out on her features and capabilities, some find her impressive, while others describe her as unsettling.