UBTech opens U1 companion humanoid presales with 3,000 sold

UBTech has opened presales for its U1 companion humanoid, with around 3,000 units sold so far, according to Sixth Tone. Announced June 2, the presale requires a refundable deposit of 3,000 yuan (about $450), rather than payment of the robot’s full purchase price. UBTech has not yet disclosed the retail price. The company is positioning the full size humanoid for emotional companionship, with customization available only to adult buyers.

The U1 comes in two versions: a male model measuring 183 centimeters and weighing 42 kilograms, and a female model measuring 168 centimeters and weighing 35.2 kilograms. According to Sixth Tone, UBTech lists 88 “highly mobile” joints, encrypted memory storage and affective AI among the robot’s features. The company claims battery life of two to four hours per charge, with Wi-Fi connectivity also supported. Those specifications describe a substantially different product proposition from UBTech’s Walker series, which Sixth Tone describes as mainly intended for industrial applications.

UBTech founder and CEO Zhou Jian described the intended companionship to domestic business outlet LatePost in terms of playing games and watching television dramas with users. Other Chinese developers are pursuing related products: Beijing based Noetix Robotics unveiled a woman’s bust in May, priced at 99,900 yuan (about $15,000), with marketing focused on conversational and emotional abilities. UBTech’s U1 packages that companionship pitch in a full size humanoid rather than a bust. Its official online release is scheduled for June 30, while presales are set to continue through July 15.

Source: #SixthTone