# NeodraDynamics

> Source: https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/neodra_dynamics
> Updated: 2026-10-18
> Fact-checked: 2026-10-18
> Categories: Chinese AI, Humanoid Robots, Robot Hardware, Robotics Companies
> License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) - attribute to "AI Wiki (aiwiki.ai)"
> Cite as: AI Wiki. "NeodraDynamics." aiwiki.ai, 18 Oct 2026. https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/neodra_dynamics
> From AI Wiki (https://aiwiki.ai), the free encyclopedia of artificial intelligence. Reuse freely with attribution.

**NeodraDynamics** (Chinese: 清卓动力, *Qingzhuo Dongli*; full name 清卓动力机器人科技（北京）有限公司, rendered in its press releases as NeodraDynamics Robotics Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.) is a Beijing robotics company that develops what it calls hydraulic-electric hybrid drive technology for heavy-duty robots.[1][8] Founded in 2024, it is best known for **Neo1**, a [humanoid robot](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/humanoid_robot) roughly 4 meters (about 13 feet) tall whose joints are driven mostly by the company's own miniature digital hydraulic actuators.[4][8][10] The company first showed the robot publicly at the 2026 [World Robot Conference](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/world_robot_conference) in Beijing in August 2026, then exhibited it with JD Industrial at the China International Industry Fair (CIIF) in Shanghai in October 2026.[3][4][9][12]

NeodraDynamics markets Neo1 for what it calls "4D" work (dangerous, dirty, dull and difficult), naming nuclear power maintenance, deep-sea engineering, mining, emergency rescue, port logistics and heavy assembly as target uses.[1][5][9] Most published performance figures come from the company itself, and its own materials do not always agree with each other. Interesting Engineering, reporting on the CIIF showing, noted that the intended applications "represent intended capabilities, not confirmed operational deployments" and that the specifications still require independent verification.[10] The name should not be confused with [1X Neo](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/1x_neo), the home humanoid from [1X Technologies](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/1x_technologies).

## Company

The company's website gives its address as the Wangjing SOHO Center in Beijing's Chaoyang District.[1] It describes its mission as supplying "solutions and key components to partners", and its stated vision is to become a leading provider of robotic power systems for heavy-duty robots in industry, rescue, deep-sea and space exploration.[1] In an October 2026 interview, founder Yang Tao described the firm as able to deliver complete robots, solutions and core components, but said its real position is as an "enabler" that mainly supplies high-power dexterous arms and components to partners, building complete systems itself only for settings such as nuclear, deep-sea, aerospace and rescue work where no robots were previously used.[11]

The September 2026 press release states that NeodraDynamics was founded in 2024.[8] The TouchBase interviewer noted that 2024 was also the year [Boston Dynamics](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/boston_dynamics) retired its hydraulic [Atlas](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/atlas_robot) humanoid. Yang said he saw that decision as Boston Dynamics waiting for a breakthrough in hydraulic control rather than abandoning hydraulics.[11][13]

### Founders

The company's website lists three co-founders and describes all three as having [Tsinghua University](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/tsinghua_university) backgrounds.[1] The CIIF press release likewise says the company was "founded by Tsinghua-background technical experts".[9]

| Co-founder | Description on the company website[1] |
|---|---|
| Jianwei Zhang (张建伟) | Foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; member of acatech (the German National Academy of Science and Engineering); AI expert |
| Jian Wang (王健) | Member of the robot standards committee of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT); founding member of a national-local joint embodied intelligence innovation center; motor and servo drive expert |
| Tao Yang (杨涛) | Head of a national high-quality special project; automatic control expert; described by the company as the "inventor of digital hydraulics" |

Yang Tao is presented as the company's founder in press releases and media interviews.[4][9][11] In the October 2026 interview with the outlet 着陆TouchBase, Yang said his father began researching digital hydraulics in the late 1970s. Yang said he was admitted to Tsinghua in 1988 and entered the university in 1989, and that in 1998 he and his father founded a company, 亿美博, which started in metallurgical automation with molten-steel level control. He also said the 亿美博 team were core drafters of the Chinese national standard for marine digital hydraulic cylinders, GB/T 24946-2010, which was led by China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.[11]

In the same interview, Yang said that developing the 4-meter robot, from the dexterous hand and arm through the body and legs to system integration, took one year and four months and cost about 10 million yuan.[11]

## Digital hydraulic technology

The company's core product is what it calls a micro digital hydraulic cylinder, which it describes as a "generational upgrade" over servo-valve-controlled hydraulics.[1] Conventional servo hydraulics close the control loop with sensors, control algorithms and tuned parameters. Yang explained the company's alternative in the TouchBase interview: a small electric motor (servo or stepper) drives a mechanical-hydraulic servo amplifier, so that each electrical pulse produces a fixed displacement of the cylinder. In his example, 1,000 pulses turn the motor once and move the cylinder 1 mm, so one pulse equals 1 micrometer. He called this fixed ratio the "pulse equivalent" and argued that it builds the control parameters into the hardware, so that precision in theory does not vary with load, oil pressure, temperature, leakage or wear.[11]

Yang argued that hydraulics offer a better power-to-weight ratio than electric motors, and that because the actuators need no internal electronics for sensing they tolerate ionizing radiation, which he presented as an advantage in nuclear plants.[11] He said the whole 41-joint robot can run on an inexpensive programmable logic controller (PLC).[11] He did not describe hydraulics as a replacement for electric drives: he said the company uses electric drives where force needs are moderate and conditions are benign, pneumatics for fast tasks that do not need precise control, and hydraulics for loads from tens to hundreds of kilograms and above.[11]

The company's published figures for its actuators differ by source:

| Source | Stated actuator figure |
|---|---|
| Company website[1] | Micro digital hydraulic cylinder: 1.6 kg, 10 kN thrust, 50 mm/s |
| September 2026 press release[8] | Cylinder weighing 1.1 kg that "drives a 1,000 kg load at 1 micrometer repeatability" |
| China Economic Net (August 2026)[5] | Linear actuator weighing 1 kg with ton-level continuous thrust |
| October 2026 press release[9] | Single actuator weighing 1 kg generating ton-level continuous thrust |
| Yang Tao interview[11] | Titanium-cased unit weighing 1.1 kg with a peak thrust of 1,000 kg and 1 micrometer precision |

## Neo1

### Unveiling

The World Robot Conference 2026 ran from August 19 to 23 in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (Beijing E-Town).[14] The conference's exhibitor listing placed NeodraDynamics at booth D504, describing its exhibit as the world's first and only hydraulic-electric heavy-duty humanoid robot, and listed a launch event for a hydraulic-electric "super humanoid" robot on August 19, 2026.[3] Shanghai Securities News reported that the company showed the roughly 4-meter robot publicly for the first time on August 19.[4] State broadcaster CGTN described a newly unveiled 4-meter humanoid combining digital hydraulics and electric motors, designed for nuclear power maintenance, deep-sea operations and heavy-load transport.[6] Bastille Post quoted Yang Tao at the show: "For scenarios like deep-sea exploiting and nuclear-related environments, our dexterous robotic arms and high-load capacity robots can take the place of human workers."[7] The company's September release says Yang also gave interviews to Xinhua, CCTV and Russia's RIA Novosti, in which he called digital hydraulics and electric actuation "complementary".[8]

The English name Neo1 appears in the company's September 14, 2026 press release about the World Robot Conference debut.[8] In mid-October 2026 the company exhibited Neo1 at the 26th China International Industry Fair, held in Shanghai from October 12 to 16.[9][12] Its press release said NeodraDynamics "jointly unveiled" the robot with JD Industrial, the industrial supply-chain arm of [JD.com](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/jd_com), and that the two would work on scenario matching and pilot applications using JD Industrial's supply chain and customer base.[9][15] Interesting Engineering reported the joint showing; the terms of the cooperation given here come from NeodraDynamics' own release.[10] The release also said the company was holding "real-machine demonstrations" and "global industrial cooperation negotiations" at the fair.[9]

### Design

The company calls Neo1 a "super humanoid", a label it uses for robots that exceed human strength and endurance and are not tied to human body proportions.[5] Shanghai Securities News reported the distribution of its 41 active degrees of freedom: 14 in the two arms, 10 in the two hands, 12 in the legs and feet, 3 in the waist and 2 in the head.[4] All except two are driven by the company's digital hydraulic linear actuators; the two forearm rotation joints use electric servo drives.[4][5] Yang said the company planned to move two more joints from hydraulic to electric drive.[11]

Yang said the robot was built large because the product's target was a single-arm payload of 300 kg, and a robot's own mass and size must scale with the loads it handles.[4] He told TouchBase that the upper body has strong industrial value while the legs are mainly for research and validation, and that the company left a standard interface between upper and lower body so that wheels, tracks, rails or a fixed column can replace the legs.[11] The company's website says the platform is meant to work together with machine vision and [vision-language-action models](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/vision_language_action_model).[1]

| Specification | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Height | About 4 m ("4-meter class") | [4][5][9] |
| Mass | 1.2 "ton" (in the headline of the company's CIIF release, which does not say whether metric or US short tons are meant; 1.2 metric tonnes is about 2,650 lb and 1.2 short tons is 2,400 lb) | [9] |
| Active [degrees of freedom](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/degrees_of_freedom) | 41 | [4][5][9] |
| Hydraulic joints | 39, using the company's digital hydraulic linear actuators | [4][5][9] |
| Electric joints | 2 (forearm rotation) | [4][5][9] |
| Dual-arm payload | 500 kg, about 1,100 lb (company figure) | [5][8][9][10] |
| Single-arm load target | 300 kg | [4] |
| Repeatability | ±0.05 mm (September release and China Economic Net); ±0.005 mm (October release); fingertip repeatability "better than 0.1 mm" (TouchBase) | [5][8][9][11] |

The repeatability figures in the company's two English press releases differ by a factor of ten, and Interesting Engineering's figure of ±0.0002 inches matches the smaller value.[8][9][10] The September release's subheading promises "micrometer-level fingertip precision", while its body gives a fingertip repeatability of ±0.05 mm; the 1 micrometer figure in that release describes a single hydraulic cylinder, not the whole robot.[8] The October release uses the phrase "micrometer-level accuracy" for the hybrid drive as a whole.[9]

### Target applications

Company materials and Chinese coverage list similar use cases.[4][5][9] In industry, the robot is aimed at handling and assembling heavy components, stacking bulk materials and heavy port operations. In nuclear plants, the company proposes radiation-resistant actuators and remote or hardened control systems for fuel transfer, equipment maintenance and accident response. For deep-sea work, it describes operating with ROV platforms on heavy component removal, valve operation and underwater maintenance. In mines and disaster sites, it lists excavation, demolition, debris clearance and shoring.[4][5] The October release frames the hybrid drive as suited to "aerial inspection, underground mining, and deep-sea engineering", which it calls "sky, ground and sea" missions, and says Neo1's shock and pollution resistance supports "demolition, clearance and hazard zone operations" in mining and disaster rescue.[9]

Yang told TouchBase that industrial assembly and logistics were the most urgent markets. He said one project, using heavy-duty dexterous arms to assemble power-transmission towers in mountainous areas instead of workers holding drone-lifted steel parts, had passed internal project review, and that an unnamed Chinese nuclear power company had approached the firm about a stalled retrofit project.[11] He also said the company had turned down a customer request to fully replace human workers with embodied AI in open environments, because he considered AI generalization not yet good enough.[11] He argued that using humanoids to tighten screws in factories is "the wrong method and the wrong direction", since dedicated machines and [industrial robots](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/industrial_robot) are cheaper and more efficient for standardized production.[11]

## Components

Besides the full robot, the company's website lists two component products built on the same drive technology.[1]

| Product | Company-stated figures |
|---|---|
| High-power [dexterous hand](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/dexterous_hand) | 15 degrees of freedom, of which 5 are active; grip force over 500 kgf; 0.01 mm fingertip precision; rated for nuclear radiation, -50 to 250 °C and 10,000 m ocean depth[1] |
| 7-DOF heavy-duty arm | 7 degrees of freedom; 1.7 m working radius; 300 kg single-arm lifting; 0.2 mm controllable end-point resolution[1] |

A separate product page for the combined hand and arm gives different numbers in places, including ±0.005 mm fingertip repeatability, 200 kgf maximum grip per finger, a 12,000 m diving depth, an operating range of -40 to 300 °C, a 25 MPa working pressure and a 1,715 mm shoulder-to-fingertip reach.[2] The 15-degree-of-freedom count describes this hand product, of which 5 are active; Shanghai Securities News reported 10 active degrees of freedom for the two hands of Neo1 combined.[1][4] A third page, for the hand on its own, lists a standard weight of 14 kg, a maximum operating speed of 180° per second, a ±0.5 N force-sensor accuracy and a standard operating temperature of -40 to +80 °C (with optional versions rated to +300 °C), and says the hand supports the [EtherCAT](https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/ethercat) and CANopen industrial bus protocols.[17]

## Context

Most current humanoid robots use electric actuators. Boston Dynamics, whose hydraulic Atlas was the best-known hydraulic humanoid, announced the retirement of that robot in April 2024 and replaced it with an all-electric version.[13] NeodraDynamics' September 2026 press release was headlined "Boston Dynamics Gave Up on Hydraulics. A 4-Meter Robot From China May Change the Conversation", and argued that what the industry abandoned was an old hydraulic control paradigm, not hydraulics as such.[8] Interesting Engineering noted that hydraulics give high force in compact packages but bring engineering problems, including fluid pressure management, sealing, heat and control complexity.[10]

At the World Robot Conference, Neo1 was one of several exhibits that commentators grouped into a trend toward task-specific robot forms rather than human-scale imitation. A BT Finance article republished by 36Kr described the 4-meter hydraulic-electric robot as "one of the focuses of attention" and argued that robots for mines, nuclear plants and deep-sea work may not need to copy the human form.[16]

The CIIF showing drew wider English-language coverage in mid-October 2026, much of it restating the company's release. Futurism, in an article published on October 16, 2026, called the release "boisterous" and "breathless", wrote that "we have yet to see the robot in action", and said it would wait for "an actual showcase before we render full judgment", adding that Neo1 "would be far from the first Chinese piece of vaporware that never turned into a reality".[18]

## References

1. NeodraDynamics. [超人形机器人 - 清卓动力机器人科技 | NeodraDynamics Co., LTD. (company website)](http://neodradynamics.com/). Accessed October 17, 2026.
2. NeodraDynamics. [全球最有力最耐受灵巧手臂 (dexterous hand and arm product page)](http://neodradynamics.com/neodra_hand_product.html). Accessed October 17, 2026.
3. World Robot Conference. [清卓动力机器人科技（北京）有限公司 - 展商信息 (2026 exhibitor listing)](https://www.worldrobotconference.com/expo/company/806.html). Accessed October 17, 2026.
4. 伊妹儿 (Shanghai Securities News), via Sina Finance. [清卓动力杨涛：依托液电混合技术使机器人更好赋能生产生活](https://finance.sina.com.cn/roll/2026-08-19/doc-ininwpnf6934528.shtml). August 19, 2026.
5. 杨秀峰 (China Economic Net). [清卓动力发布4米级液电混驱超人形机器人 攻坚"艰难险重"作业新赛道](http://www.ce.cn/cysc/tech/gd2012/202608/t20260821_3162522.shtml). August 21, 2026.
6. CGTN. [Robots move closer to real-world partners at World Robot Conference](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-08-20/Robots-move-closer-to-real-world-partners-at-World-Robot-Conference-1PL5LLAu6XK/p.html). August 20, 2026.
7. Bastille Post. [Conference displays robots' high-risk task capabilities](https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/6093766-conference-displays-robots-high-risk-task-capabilities). August 20, 2026.
8. NeodraDynamics Robotics Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., via PR Newswire. [Boston Dynamics Gave Up on Hydraulics. A 4-Meter Robot From China May Change the Conversation.](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boston-dynamics-gave-up-on-hydraulics-a-4-meter-robot-from-china-may-change-the-conversation-302877666.html) September 14, 2026.
9. NeodraDynamics, PR Newswire release reprinted by Bastille Post. [NeodraDynamics Showcases 4-Meter & 1.2-Ton Neo1 Heavy-Duty Hydraulic Robot with JD Industrial at CIIF](https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/6253862-neodradynamics-showcases-4-meter-1-2-ton-neo1-heavy-duty-hydraulic-robot-with-jd-industrial-at-ciif-hydraulic%e2%80%91electric-hybrid-solves-real%e2%80%91world-4d-industrial-challenges). October 14, 2026.
10. Aamir Khollam (Interesting Engineering). [China unleashes 13-foot robot titan with 39 hydraulics to crush over 1,100 pounds](https://interestingengineering.com/ai-robotics/china-neo1-hydraulic-humanoid-robot-1102-pound-payload). October 14, 2026.
11. 着陆TouchBase, via NetEase. [下潜海沟、进驻核岛，4米巨型机器人专去人不能去的地方 | 专访清卓动力创始人杨涛](https://www.163.com/dy/article/L9AAAKRI0553D9NB.html). October 15, 2026.
12. 21Jingji (21财经). [第二十六届工博会：当工业制造遇到火热的人工智能浪潮](https://m.21jingji.com/article/20261015/herald/c0e251a56830fb5aea0d478e786a9753.html). October 15, 2026.
13. Boston Dynamics. [An Electric New Era for Atlas](https://bostondynamics.com/blog/electric-new-era-for-atlas/). April 17, 2024.
14. Beijing Municipal Government. [2026 World Robot Conference Concludes: 'Beijing Robot Domain' Charts a New Blueprint for Embodied AI](https://english.beijing.gov.cn/beijinginfo/sci/latesttrends/202608/t20260825_4836401.html). August 25, 2026.
15. South China Morning Post, via Yahoo Finance. [China's JD.com unit Jingdong Industrials aims for US$412 million Hong Kong IPO](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/chinas-jd-com-unit-jingdong-093000101.html). December 3, 2025.
16. BT Finance, via 36Kr. [A 4-meter-tall robot makes its debut. Are robots bidding farewell to the era of "being human-like"?](https://eu.36kr.com/en/p/3948700563242377). August 21, 2026.
17. NeodraDynamics. [大功率灵巧手 / High-Power Dexterous Hand (product page)](http://neodradynamics.com/neodradynamics-hand.html). Accessed October 19, 2026.
18. Victor Tangermann (Futurism). [China Builds Actual Giant Mecha](https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/china-builds-actual-giant-mecha). October 16, 2026.