Noetix Robotics
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| Noetix Robotics | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Full name | Songyan Power (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd. |
| Chinese name | 松延动力 (Songyan Dongli) |
| Founded | September 2023 |
| Founder | Jiang Zheyuan (蒋哲远) |
| Headquarters | Beijing, China |
| Industry | Robotics, Embodied AI |
| Products | Bipedal humanoid robots, bionic robots, wheeled humanoids |
| Employees | ~100 (as of 2026) |
| Total funding | |
| Website | noetixrobotics.com |
Noetix Robotics is a Beijing-based Chinese humanoid robot startup, officially registered as Songyan Power (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd. (Chinese: 松延动力（北京）科技有限公司), founded in September 2023 by Jiang Zheyuan and best known for the N2, a 118 cm bipedal robot that can do continuous backflips and that finished second in the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon in April 2025.[2][13] The company designs, manufactures, and sells humanoid and bionic robots for consumer, education, commercial, and research use, and by March 2026 had raised about 1 billion yuan (roughly $146 million) across nine funding rounds, reaching an estimated valuation near $200 million after its half-marathon run.[5][14]
Noetix is notable for maintaining two parallel product lines: bipedal humanoid robots (including the N2, Dora, E1, and Bumi) and bionic humanoid robots (including the Hobbs 3 bionic head and the Hobbs W1 wheeled service robot). Noetix describes itself as the only company in the industry to operate both product categories simultaneously.[1] The humanoid line focuses on locomotion, agility, and affordable access to bipedal platforms, while the bionic line specializes in lifelike facial expression systems using platinum silicone skin and micro-motor arrays.
Noetix gained international recognition through a series of high-profile events: the N2 finished second in the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon in Beijing (April 2025), the company won two gold medals and one silver at the Global Humanoid Robotics Games (August 2025), and Noetix was selected as the official humanoid robot partner for CCTV's 2026 Spring Festival Gala, one of the most-watched television broadcasts in the world.[2][3][4] Following the Gala appearance, the company closed its ninth funding round, a Series B of nearly 1 billion yuan (~$146 million) led by Chendao Capital, the industrial investment platform affiliated with battery giant CATL.[5]
As of early 2026, Noetix holds over 30 patents and operates production facilities in Beijing, Changzhou (Jiangsu), and Dongguan (Guangdong), with combined capacity scaling toward 1,000 units per month.[6][7]
Noetix Robotics (Songyan Power) is a Chinese robotics and embodied AI company that builds full-size and child-size humanoid robots aimed at making bipedal platforms cheap enough for consumers, schools, and developers rather than only large industrial buyers. Its flagship N2 sells for 39,900 yuan (about $5,500), and its entry-level Bumi launched at 9,988 yuan (about $1,400), positioning Noetix among the lowest-priced humanoid robot makers in the world.[13][16] Founder Jiang Zheyuan has framed the company's trajectory directly: he aims for Noetix to become "the 'Xiaomi' of the humanoid robot industry in the short term and the 'Apple' of robotics in the long term."[13]
The company splits its catalogue into a bipedal humanoid line (the N2 "Sports Star," the larger E1 "Geek Pioneer," the household-oriented Dora, and the consumer Bumi) and a bionic line (the Hobbs 3 expressive head and the wheeled Hobbs W1 service robot). It says it is the only firm running both categories at once, combining athletic locomotion research with lifelike silicone-skin facial systems.[1]
Noetix Robotics was founded in September 2023 by Jiang Zheyuan (蒋哲远), born in 1998 in Beijing. Jiang grew up on the Tsinghua University campus, where his father serves as a physics professor. He was admitted to Tsinghua's Department of Electronic Engineering after scoring 28th on the Beijing college entrance examination. During his doctoral studies, his research focused on reinforcement learning. In late 2021, during his third year of doctoral work, Jiang encountered a robotic dog (the Unitree A1 quadruped) in his laboratory. The experience profoundly shifted his career trajectory toward embodied AI, and he made the decision to abandon his PhD to found a robotics company.[8][9]
The founding team consisted of just three people armed with a PowerPoint presentation. The company's core technical team draws from Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the University of London, and the University of Southern California. Despite these credentials, early fundraising proved extremely difficult. Jiang initially sought a valuation of 50 million yuan but struggled to attract investors as a dropout entrepreneur with only prototypes to show.[8]
Recruiting experienced engineers also posed challenges. With limited resources and brand recognition, Jiang designed highly demanding technical tests to identify unconventional talent. One algorithm engineer who might have been rejected by established technology firms passed these tests and went on to help train the control systems responsible for the N2's dynamic movements.[8]
By late 2023, the team completed a working prototype that was sufficient to secure seed funding. With initial capital of approximately 30 million yuan, the company began product development in earnest. However, inexperience with financial management nearly proved fatal: undisciplined spending almost depleted the company's cash reserves by early 2024.[8]
A turning point came in March 2024, when a demonstration of the company's bionic facial robot technology impressed investors and secured additional funding to stabilize operations. The bionic face, which would later evolve into the Hobbs product line, demonstrated that Noetix could deliver differentiated technology rather than simply replicating existing humanoid designs.[8]
Noetix Robotics introduced its first products at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC 2024) in Shanghai in July 2024. Two humanoid platforms debuted: the N1, a compact research humanoid weighing 23 kg and standing 0.95 m tall with 18 degrees of freedom, and Dora, a slightly larger platform designed for household service, education, and elder care applications. The company also showcased its Hobbs bionic head technology, which featured a face with 32 active degrees of freedom and platinum silicone skin capable of replicating over 200 human micro-expressions.[10][11]
In August 2024, Dora appeared at the World Robot Conference (WRC 2024) in Beijing alongside 27 other humanoid robots from various manufacturers, representing the largest gathering of humanoid robots at the annual event at that time.[12]
By mid-2024, the company had grown to approximately 80 employees, most of them born after 1995 or 2000 (commonly referred to in China as "post-95s" and "post-00s"). Noetix relocated to a larger facility in Beijing's Changping District to accommodate its growing team.[8]
The year 2025 marked a dramatic acceleration for Noetix Robotics, with multiple product launches, competitive victories, and funding milestones.
In early 2025, the company unveiled the N2, a significantly upgraded successor to the N1. The entire development process from project initiation to achieving continuous backflips took approximately six months. Standing 118 cm tall with 18 degrees of freedom and a peak joint torque of 150 Nm, the N2 could run at 3.5 m/s (12.6 km/h) and perform continuous backflips, a feat previously achieved most notably only by Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot. At a price of 39,900 yuan (~$5,500), it was positioned as far more affordable than comparable platforms.[13]
In April 2025, the N2 finished second in the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon in Beijing's Yizhuang district, completing the 21.1-kilometer course in 3 hours and 37 minutes. The N2 unit nicknamed "Xiao Wantong" was reported to be the only robot in the competition that ran fully autonomously without human traction. Following the race, Noetix received over 2,500 pre-orders and its valuation tripled to approximately $200 million.[2][14]
In May 2025, Noetix unveiled Xiao Nuo, a female bionic persona built on the Hobbs platform, featuring ElevenLabs AI voice integration for natural human-like communication. This represented the next generation of the company's bionic technology, with enhanced mouth articulation and more lifelike expressions.[15]
In August 2025, Noetix competed in the Global Humanoid Robotics Games, winning two gold medals and one silver to place third overall on the medal table. The E1 took gold in the standing long jump with a 1.25-meter leap, while the N2 scored 41.60 points in the floor exercise (higher than the combined totals of all other competitors) with a series of jumps and flips. The silver came in solo dance, where Noetix partnered with the Beijing Dance Academy to perform Yingge, a traditional folk dance from Chaozhou-Shantou, scoring 95.30 points (just 0.1 short of gold).[3]
In October 2025, Noetix launched Bumi, the company's most affordable humanoid robot, at 9,988 yuan ($1,400). Named after the Chinese word for bumblebee, the 94-cm-tall, 12-kg robot targeted the consumer market for education, hobbyist development, and home companionship. The initial batch of 500 units sold out within 48 hours on JD.com. At the same time, the company completed a pre-Series B round of nearly 300 million yuan ($42 million) led by Fangguang Capital (FG Venture), with co-investors including Vertex Ventures, CRRC Beijing Transformation and Upgrading Fund Management Co., OR Capital, and Everpine Capital. Less than a month later, a pre-B+ round of nearly 200 million yuan followed, led by CICC Capital. Including earlier rounds, total financing by late 2025 exceeded 500 million yuan.[16][17][18]
On January 29, 2026, Noetix Robotics was announced as the official humanoid robot partner for CCTV's 2026 Spring Festival Gala (Chunwan), one of the most-watched television broadcasts in the world with an audience typically exceeding 700 million viewers. The company received dual certification as both the "exclusive partner for bionic humanoid robot" and the "partner for humanoid robots."[4]
Noetix's robots appeared in the comedy sketch "Grandma's Favorite" (奶奶最爱), starring veteran actress Cai Ming and young actor Wang Tianfang. A total of five Noetix robots performed on stage, including units from the Bumi, N2, and E1 product lines, along with a custom bionic replica of Cai Ming built on the Hobbs 3 platform. The 12-and-a-half-minute skit featured magic tricks, storytelling, synchronized running, and backflips performed within a stage area of just 12 square meters.[4][19]
Four Chinese robotics companies appeared at the 2026 Gala: Noetix Robotics, Unitree Robotics, Galbot, and MagicLab. Within the first two hours of the broadcast, e-commerce searches for robots surged more than 300 percent, customer inquiries increased by 460 percent, and order volumes rose by 150 percent across the robotics industry.[20]
Shortly after the Gala, in March 2026, Noetix closed its Series B financing led by Chendao Capital, the industrial investment platform affiliated with CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd.), with participation from CAS Investment Management (Guoke Investment), Beijing Guosheng Fund, and United Ventures (Jiuhe Venture Capital). The total Series B scale reached nearly 1 billion yuan (~$146 million), making it the company's ninth funding round overall.[5][21]
Also in January 2026, Noetix made its international exhibition debut at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, showcasing its latest-generation humanoid robot platform and system-integration solution at booth 8069 in the North Hall. It was the company's first public showcase of a complete humanoid system at a top-tier global technology exhibition.[22]
| Jiang Zheyuan |
|---|
| Born |
| Education |
| Known for |
| Title |
Noetix Robotics was founded by Jiang Zheyuan, one of the youngest founders in China's humanoid robotics industry. Born in 1998, he grew up from kindergarten through university on the Tsinghua campus. His father is a physics professor at Tsinghua University. Jiang was admitted to Tsinghua's Department of Electronic Engineering with the 28th-highest score on the Beijing college entrance examination and pursued doctoral research in reinforcement learning.[8][9]
Jiang's pivot to robotics came in late 2021 when he encountered a robotic dog in his laboratory. He later described this moment as the catalyst that convinced him of the commercial potential of embodied AI. In his third year of doctoral studies, he chose to leave his PhD program and founded Noetix Robotics in September 2023.[8]
Jiang has been profiled by Bloomberg, the South China Morning Post, TMTPost, and other major outlets as a representative of China's young generation of technology entrepreneurs. He has described the company's ambition as becoming "the 'Xiaomi' of the humanoid robot industry in the short term and the 'Apple' of robotics in the long term," emphasizing a vision of consumer-accessible humanoid robots rather than expensive industrial platforms.[13][14][23] On the N2's pricing, Jiang has said the 39,900 yuan price point is "not for 'malicious competition' but rather a reflection of the industry's inevitable trend toward affordability."[13] He has stated plans to achieve positive cash flow and profitability within the next several years.[8]
Noetix Robotics maintains two parallel product lines: bipedal humanoid robots and bionic humanoid robots. The company's portfolio as of early 2026 includes six primary products spanning price points from ~$1,400 to undisclosed premium pricing for the commercial-grade Hobbs W1.
| Model | Type | Height | Weight | DOF | Max speed | Target market | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N2 (Sports Star) | Bipedal humanoid | 118 cm | 30 kg | 18 | 3.5 m/s (12.6 km/h) | Education, research, entertainment | 39,900 yuan (~$5,500) |
| E1 (Geek Pioneer) | Bipedal humanoid | 136 cm | 40 kg | 23-28 | 1.2 m/s | Family, exhibitions, corporate | 39,900 yuan (~$5,500) |
| Dora | Bipedal humanoid | 100 cm | 20 kg | 20-26 | 1 m/s | Household, education, elder care | ~$10,000 |
| Bumi | Bipedal humanoid | 94 cm | 12 kg | 21 | N/A | Consumer, education, home | 9,988 yuan (~$1,400) |
| Hobbs 3 | Bionic head | ~600 mm | 10.5 kg | 32 active + 8 passive | N/A | Research, reception, streaming | Not disclosed |
| Hobbs W1 | Wheeled humanoid (bionic face) | 170 cm | 75 kg | 54 active | 1.2 m/s | Commercial service, hospitality | Not disclosed |
The N2 is Noetix's best-known product and the successor to the N1 research platform. Standing 118 cm tall with 18 degrees of freedom (5 per leg, 4 per arm), it is powered by an NVIDIA Jetson Orin processor providing up to 67 TOPS of edge AI compute. The N2's defining capabilities are its athletic agility: a top running speed of 3.5 m/s (12.6 km/h), a peak joint torque of 150 Nm, and the ability to perform continuous backflips. Its locomotion system uses a hybrid approach combining trajectory optimization with deep reinforcement learning policies trained in simulation and transferred to hardware.[13][24]
The N2 finished second in the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon in April 2025 and scored the highest points in floor exercise at the Global Humanoid Robotics Games in August 2025. It is available in Flowing Purple and Moonlight White color options, with a quick-swap 48V/7Ah lithium-ion battery providing up to 2 hours of runtime. The N2 supports Python, C++, ROS, and Linux development environments.[13][24]
The E1 is Noetix's largest bipedal humanoid, standing 136 cm tall and weighing approximately 40 kg. It features 23 to 28 degrees of freedom depending on configuration, with 150 Nm of peak knee torque. The E1 is positioned as a cost-effective platform for family companionship, exhibition guidance, and corporate services, starting at 39,900 yuan. It competed at the Global Humanoid Robotics Games, winning a gold medal in the standing long jump with a 1.25-meter leap.[3][25]
The E1 supports modular configurations with compute tiers scaling up to an NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano Super. Sensor options include depth cameras, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and optional LiDAR. The platform is designed for education, research, and applied development scenarios.[25]
Dora is a compact bipedal humanoid optimized for household service, STEM education, and elder care. At 100 cm tall and 20 kg, it features 20 degrees of freedom in its base configuration (expandable to 26 with optional 11-DOF dexterous hands on each arm). Dora delivers 120 Nm of peak joint torque and can walk stably across grass, snow, pavement, and stairs at up to 1 m/s. Its perception system includes three structured-light depth cameras and a six-microphone array, with an NVIDIA Jetson Orin providing 40 TOPS of AI compute. Dora integrates large language model capabilities for multi-round conversational dialogue and visual interaction.[10][11]
By mid-2025, Noetix had delivered 13 Dora units for household service and public reception deployments. Dora has also served as a research platform for Noetix's locomotion algorithms, appearing as a hardware testbed in the 2025 academic paper "Think on your feet: Seamless Transition between Human-like Locomotion in Response to Changing Commands."[26][27]
Bumi is Noetix's most affordable offering and the company's play for the mass consumer market. Launched in October 2025 at 9,988 yuan (~$1,400), it represents one of the first high-performance bipedal humanoid robots available for less than the cost of a flagship smartphone. Standing 94 cm tall and weighing 12 kg, Bumi has 21 degrees of freedom distributed across its legs, hips, torso, and arms, and a 48V battery providing 1 to 2 hours of runtime. It supports drag-and-drop graphical programming for children alongside voice interaction for companion scenarios. Noetix described the launch as the "entry of humanoid robots into the consumer market."[16][17]
Bumi's locomotion relies on proprietary algorithms combining imitation learning and reinforcement learning. The presale opened on October 23, 2025, and the initial batch of 500 units sold out within 48 hours on JD.com; as of early 2026, total orders for Bumi have reached 1,000 units. The robot appeared alongside the N2 and E1 at the 2026 CCTV Spring Festival Gala.[16][19]
The Hobbs 3 is Noetix's standalone bionic head platform. It features 32 active degrees of freedom and 8 passive degrees of freedom in the face, with 12 micro-motors dedicated to the mouth alone. The facial skin is constructed from custom-formulated platinum silicone that closely mimics the texture, pattern, and elasticity of human skin. Hobbs 3 can replicate over 200 human micro-expressions with what Noetix describes as "waxwork-level" realism.[28]
The Hobbs 3 is equipped with Noetix's proprietary Audio2Face algorithm for real-time lip synchronization and the D2P (Data to Performance) expression-driving technology for emotional interaction. It supports rapid switching and customization of hairstyles, facial features, and makeup for different application scenarios. The platform gained national prominence when it was used to create a bionic replica of actress Cai Ming for the 2026 CCTV Spring Festival Gala. The replica was developed in approximately 30 days, capturing extensive biometric data about Cai Ming's micro-expressions, speech patterns, and facial tics.[19][28]
In May 2025, Noetix introduced Xiao Nuo, a female bionic persona built on the Hobbs platform, featuring ElevenLabs AI voice integration for natural communication.[15]
The Hobbs W1 is a wheeled humanoid service robot that combines the Hobbs 3 bionic head with a mobile wheeled base, dual 5-DOF robotic arms, and 6-DOF dexterous hands. Standing 170 cm tall and weighing 75 kg, it features a total of 54 active degrees of freedom. The robot uses a Rockchip RK3588 processor for its AI interaction system and an Intel J1900 for the mobile platform, with dual NPUs providing 12 TOPS of combined neural processing power. Navigation relies on Laser SLAM with 360-degree obstacle avoidance.[29]
The Hobbs W1 is positioned as a "professional scene all-rounder" for reception, visitor guidance, customer support, and information delivery in museums, government halls, corporate offices, and retail stores. It integrates with Doubao (ByteDance) and iFlytek's large language models for conversational AI, with voice recognition accuracy reported at 98%. As of early 2026, the Hobbs W1 has been deployed as a guide and receptionist in museums, government halls, and offices across China.[29]
Noetix Robotics holds over 30 patents and has built what it describes as a full-stack, self-developed technical system spanning mechanical design, motion control, perception, and AI interaction.[1]
The company's bipedal humanoid robots use a combination of trajectory optimization (TO) and reinforcement learning (RL) for locomotion control. Policies are trained in simulation environments (Isaac Gym) and transferred to real hardware with zero-shot transfer, meaning the same controller parameters work across both simulated and physical robots without additional tuning. This approach was validated across multiple robot platforms (N1, Dora, and N2) in academic research, demonstrating that agents trained only on straight walking and running reference motions could perform previously unseen movements, including backward walking and spinning.[27]
The N2's backflip capability specifically uses trajectory optimization to plan the motion path, with reinforcement learning policies trained to execute the trajectory robustly in real time. The 150 Nm peak joint torque provides the explosive force required for acrobatic maneuvers.[13]
Noetix's bionic face system, implemented in the Hobbs product line, is described by the company as fully independently developed. The system consists of 32 active degrees of freedom controlled by micro-motors paired with platinum silicone skin. The face achieves expression response delay under 150 milliseconds and supports over 200 distinct micro-expressions.[28][29]
Key software components include:
The company's humanoid robots run all perception and decision-making locally on onboard processors, primarily NVIDIA Jetson Orin modules. The N2 uses a Jetson Orin with 67 TOPS of AI compute, while Dora uses a configuration providing 40 TOPS. This edge computing approach enables autonomous operation without continuous cloud connectivity. Perception systems across the product line use structured-light depth cameras for 3D environmental awareness, with configurations ranging from two cameras (N2) to three cameras (Dora).[13][10]
Noetix Robotics has completed nine financing rounds since its founding in September 2023, raising a cumulative total approaching 1 billion yuan (~$146 million).
| Round | Approximate date | Amount | Lead investor(s) | Key co-investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed | Late 2023 | Undisclosed | Undisclosed | First prototype secured investment |
| Angel / Early rounds | 2024 | Multiple undisclosed rounds | Various | Included Beijing Changping Science and Technology Park Development Group |
| Series A | August 2025 | ~100 million yuan | Multiple investors | 6 investors participated |
| Pre-B | October 2025 | Fangguang Capital (FG Venture) | Vertex Ventures, CRRC Beijing, OR Capital, Everpine Capital | |
| Pre-B+ | November 2025 | ~200 million yuan | CICC Capital | Undisclosed |
| Series B | February/March 2026 | Total scale | Chendao Capital (CATL) | Guoke Investment (CAS), Beijing Guosheng Fund, United Ventures (Jiuhe) |
The Series B round, announced on March 2, 2026, was led by Chendao Capital, the industrial investment platform affiliated with Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL). The involvement of CATL's investment arm is strategically significant, as it brings not only capital but also expertise in clean energy, smart manufacturing, and supply chain management from the world's largest battery manufacturer.[5][21]
Following the April 2025 half-marathon, Noetix's valuation reached approximately $200 million, tripling from its prior level. The valuation grew further after the Spring Festival Gala appearance and the completion of the Series B round, though the exact post-B valuation has not been publicly disclosed.[14]
Noetix has stated that the Series B proceeds will be used to deepen the company's presence in home consumer scenarios and to accelerate industrialization, pushing humanoid robots from technical validation into a commercial closed loop.[5]
Noetix Robotics operates production facilities in three Chinese cities:
| Facility | Location | Capacity | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headquarters and R&D | Beijing (Changping District) | ~200 units/month | Operational |
| Manufacturing plant | Changzhou, Jiangsu | ~300 units/month (target by December 2025) | Operational |
| Manufacturing plant | Dongguan, Guangdong | ~500 units/month (planned) | In development |
The company's total production capacity is scaling toward 1,000 units per month across all facilities. As of early 2026, the company employs approximately 100 people, with 85% working in research and development. Most employees are from China's post-1995 and post-2000 generations, making Noetix one of the youngest companies by average employee age in the robotics industry.[6][7][26]
Noetix reported receiving over 2,500 humanoid robot orders across all product lines in 2025, with a total contract value exceeding 100 million RMB and a projected annual order value of 150 million RMB. Early orders came primarily from three sectors: education and research institutions, consumer retail, and commercial service deployments.[26]
The company has identified five core international markets for expansion: North America, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Japan/South Korea. Plans call for the delivery of the first batch of 1,000 overseas units by the second quarter of 2026.[22]
On April 19, 2025, the N2 competed in the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon, held in the Yizhuang district on the outskirts of Beijing. Twenty bipedal robots from various Chinese robotics companies lined up at the starting line to attempt the 21.1-kilometer course. Only six of the 21 participating robots completed the full distance.[2]
Noetix entered two N2 units. The "Xiao Wantong" unit finished second with a time of 3 hours and 37 minutes, while the "Whirlwind Kid" unit finished third. The race was won by Tien Kung Ultra, a full-size humanoid developed by X-Humanoid, which stands 1.8 meters tall. Xiao Wantong was reported to be the only robot in the competition that did not require human traction, completing the race fully autonomously. It recovered from a sixth-place starting position through successive overtakes, demonstrating advanced environmental perception and gait-adjustment algorithms. The Whirlwind Kid unit fell during the race but recovered and continued to third place.[2][30]
| Placement | Robot | Manufacturer | Height | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Tien Kung Ultra | X-Humanoid | 180 cm | ~2 hours 40 minutes |
| 2nd | N2 (Xiao Wantong) | Noetix Robotics | 118 cm | 3 hours 37 minutes |
| 3rd | N2 (Whirlwind Kid) | Noetix Robotics | 118 cm | Not disclosed |
The half-marathon generated enormous publicity. Noetix received over 2,500 pre-orders following the event, and the company's valuation tripled. Bloomberg reported that Jiang Zheyuan viewed the event as validation of the N2's endurance capabilities and commercial viability.[14]
At the Global Humanoid Robotics Games in August 2025, Noetix competed with the N2 and E1 across nine categories. Results included:
| Event | Robot | Result | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standing long jump | E1 | 1.25-meter leap | Gold |
| Floor exercise | N2 | 41.60 points (highest combined score) | Gold |
| Solo dance (Yingge) | N2 | 95.30 points (partnered with Beijing Dance Academy) | Silver |
The floor exercise score of 41.60 was higher than the combined totals of all other competitors, and the solo dance entry missed gold by just 0.1 points.[3]
The CCTV Spring Festival Gala (Chunwan) is the most-watched annual television broadcast in the world. In 2026, for the Year of the Fire Horse, Noetix was selected as the official humanoid robot partner. Five Noetix robots appeared in the comedy sketch "Grandma's Favorite," which paid tribute to a 1996 Gala skit in which actress Cai Ming had played a whimsical robot wife.[4][19]
The centerpiece was a custom bionic replica of Cai Ming built using the Hobbs 3 platform. Developed in approximately 30 days, the replica featured 32 micro-motors paired with platinum silicone skin for pixel-level replication of facial expressions. On stage, the bionic Cai Ming acted coquettishly, told jokes, and displayed a range of human-like expressions, while the N2 units executed side flips and backflips within the confined stage area. The skit ran for 12 and a half minutes, representing over two years of accumulated technical development.[4][19][20]
Noetix made its U.S. exhibition debut at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, demonstrating a complete humanoid robot system including bipedal locomotion, object manipulation, and natural language interaction. The demonstration showed the robot maintaining stability when subjected to physical disturbances, identifying and manipulating unfamiliar objects, and responding to natural language instructions. A co-founder revealed plans for international expansion across five core markets.[22]
Noetix Robotics operates within China's rapidly expanding humanoid robotics sector, which is projected to see output surge 94% in 2026 according to TrendForce. The company's strategy of maintaining both bipedal humanoid and bionic product lines gives it a breadth of market coverage that few competitors match.
| Company | Country | Key products | Focus | Estimated 2025 shipments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unitree Robotics | China | G1, H1, H2 | Athletic humanoids, quadrupeds | ~5,500 |
| AgiBot | China | A2, X2, G2, Q1 | Industrial and research humanoids | ~5,100 |
| UBTECH | China | Walker S2, Walker C | Industrial humanoids, logistics | ~1,000 |
| EngineAI | China | PM01, SE01, SAO2 | Affordable compact humanoids | N/A |
| Boston Dynamics | United States | Atlas (electric) | Research, industrial | N/A |
| Figure AI | United States | Figure 03 | General-purpose humanoid | N/A |
| MagicLab | China | MagicBot Z1, G1 | Agile humanoids | N/A |
| Galbot | China | G1, G1 Pro | Data-efficient humanoids | N/A |
Noetix differentiates itself through several factors: the bionic face technology (unique in the industry), aggressive consumer pricing (Bumi at ~$1,400 is among the cheapest humanoid robots globally), demonstrated athletic performance (backflips, half-marathon endurance), and the breadth of its product portfolio spanning six distinct robot platforms. The company's closest competitors in the compact humanoid segment are Unitree Robotics (whose G1 is priced at ~$16,000, roughly three times the N2) and EngineAI (whose PM01 is ~$13,700).[13]
Within the bionic/service robot segment, the Hobbs W1 competes with SoftBank Robotics' Pepper, Keenon Robotics, Pudu Robotics, and LG's CLOi family, though the Hobbs W1's lifelike silicone face with 32-DOF expression control represents a fundamentally different approach to human-robot interaction compared to these competitors' screen-based faces.[29]