Many robotics firms steer clear of creating machines with humanlike appearances for a reason. As designs come closer to mimicking genuine faces and skin, the result often feels increasingly unsettling—a phenomenon known as the uncanny valley effect. This is likely why numerous humanoid robot manufacturers, such as Boston Dynamics, favor a more metallic design. However, Shanghai’s DroidUp seems to have overlooked this. The company recently unveiled Moya, a humanoid robot, at the Zhangjiang Robotics Valley, an industrial area in Shanghai aimed at creating a national robotics center, hosting over 150 companies, including DroidUp.
DroidUp refers to Moya as “the world’s first fully bionic embodied intelligent robot.” While this claim packs a punch, it essentially suggests that Moya is designed to replicate the appearance, movement, and sensation of a real human. This assertion is quite audacious, given the strides made by AI robots in China in recent years. Viral footage on Chinese social platforms depicts Moya smiling, tilting her head, and making eye contact with people in front of her. Additionally, she can perform nuanced facial expressions, such as a slight raised eyebrow or a subtle lip twitch, thanks to an internal camera system integrated with AI.
She’s Literally Warm
Moya’s features extend beyond her impressive movements, as DroidUp meticulously focused on her physical design as well. Standing at approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall, similar to an average adult, she weighs around 70 pounds. Furthermore, her body is constructed on a modular platform, allowing DroidUp to alter her appearance or even transition between male and female appearances without changing the underlying hardware. Beneath her silicone exterior lies layers designed to imitate actual human tissue, incorporating soft padding similar to what exists under human skin. Surprisingly, she also possesses a rib cage.
Perhaps the most disconcerting aspect is that Moya actually feels warm. Rather than just a metaphorical sense of warmth, her skin is engineered to maintain a temperature between 90 and 97 degrees Fahrenheit, providing a literal warmth when touched. According to Li Qingdu, the founder of DroidUp, “A robot that truly serves human life should be warm, almost like a living being that people can connect with,” as stated in Shanghai Eye.
DroidUp asserts that Moya walks with 92 percent human-like precision, although footage suggests there is room for improvement, as her movements appear somewhat rigid. Targeting healthcare, companionship, and business sectors, Moya will come with a hefty price tag, with initial estimates around $173,000 when she hits the market, expected by late 2026.
