China’s Moya Robot Blurs the Line Between Human and Machine
Shanghai-based DroidUp unveils a fully biomimetic humanoid designed for emotional connection, marking a major leap in lifelike robotics.
Shanghai robotics firm DroidUp, also known as Zhuoyide, has introduced Moya, a humanoid robot being described as the world’s first fully biomimetic embodied intelligent machine. Designed to closely replicate human appearance and behavior, Moya represents a significant milestone in the evolution of social robotics.
Standing 1.65 meters tall and weighing 32 kilograms, Moya has near-adult human proportions and skin that maintains a temperature between 32 and 36 degrees Celsius. Its walking pattern reportedly achieves 92 percent similarity to natural human gait, enabled by an upgraded Walker 3 chassis and lightweight lattice-structured “muscles” that allow smooth, fluid movement.
Beyond physical realism, Moya is powered by advanced embodied AI capable of real-time perception, reasoning, and interaction within dynamic environments. The robot can smile, wink, nod, maintain eye contact, and reproduce subtle facial micro-expressions, creating strikingly lifelike social exchanges. Demonstrations shared by the South China Morning Post and Shanghai Media Group show Moya engaging in natural conversations and gestures, sparking widespread debate online about the future of human-robot relationships.
Unlike many humanoid robots built for industrial or mechanical tasks, Moya is tailored for roles that prioritize emotional engagement, including elder care, education, and commercial settings. Its modular design allows for customizable appearances, supporting a range of applications where social interaction is key.
While some observers have described Moya’s realism as unsettling — highlighting the so-called “uncanny valley” effect — others see it as a breakthrough moment in robotics. With a projected market launch in late 2026 and a starting price of approximately ¥1.2 million (around $160,000), Moya signals China’s growing ambition to lead in the development of lifelike, socially intelligent machines.