China launches humanoid robot priced at 36 million VND

A Chinese startup has just announced a humanoid robot priced at only about $1,370 (about 36 million VND), equivalent to the price of a high-end smartphone.

In the context of the rapidly growing humanoid robot development industry, Noetix Robotics - a startup founded in September 2023 in Beijing (China) - has made a big breakthrough when launching Bumi.

Bumi is the first humanoid robot on the market in the billion-people country priced under 10,000 yuan.

Noetix Robotics' Bumi robot costs only about $1,370. (Photo: Noetix Robotics)

According to information from TechNode and Global Times, with a height of only about 94 cm and a weight of about 12 kg, Bumi was not created to compete with giant industrial models.

This modest-sized robot is aimed at the educational and home use segments, prioritizing simplicity and friendliness.

Bumi Robot is capable of walking, running, and even dancing skillfully, thanks to its internal motion control system and lightweight composite construction materials. The 48V battery with a capacity of over 3.5 Ah allows Bumi to operate for 1-2 hours per charge, enough for short study sessions or entertainment.

In particular, users can easily program the robot's operations through a drag-and-drop drawing interface, supporting voice interaction to act as a personal assistant or learning companion. These features are considered suitable for children and people new to technology products.

Demo videos from RoboHub show the robot moving steadily, with 21 joints allowing flexible bending of limbs and rotation, combined with an object recognition camera and a microphone to process voice commands.

Although it cannot yet climb stairs or withstand strong impacts, the robot's modular design allows for easy replacement of broken parts.

Compared to its competitors, Bumi stands out for its "shocking" price. While Unitree - a leading Chinese robotics company - has just launched a 1.8m tall H2 robot model for about $6,000, Bumi aims for accessibility at an affordable price.

In the Western market, similar products like Tesla's Optimus or Apptronik's Apollo are often priced 2-3 times higher. Even the price of an Atlas robot from Boston Dynamics can reach millions of dollars.

With a price comparable to a high-end smartphone or professional drone, Bumi is lowering the barrier, transforming humanoid robots from a research tool to a common household appliance.

The birth of Bumi marks the rapid progress of Noetix Robotics, with the founding team coming from prestigious universities in China such as Tsinghua University and Zhejiang University.

In less than two years, the company has gone from making research models to mass-market commercial products. Previously, Noetix's N2 robot model had received more than 2,500 orders.

Currently, the Bumi robot pre-order program will be open from November 11 to December 12, coinciding with the major shopping festivals Double 11 and Double 12 in China.

Viet Anh

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/trung-quoc-ra-mat-robot-hinh-nguoi-gia-36-trieu-dong-ar973031.html