Humanoid robots: UBTech prepares mass production of Walker S series

The Chinese robotics company UBTech is preparing for the mass production of its Walker-S series of humanoid robots. The process should be completed by the end of 2025. Between 500 and 1000 humanoid robots of the Walker S, Walker S1 and the upcoming Walker S2 model are to be delivered to industry – including automotive companies, the logistics company SF Express and Apple supplier Foxconn.

UBTech is said to have received around 500 orders for its humanoid robot Walker S1 in 2024 from automotive companies alone. UBTech only launched the current iteration of the robot on the market in October 2024. UBTech had previously succeeded in integrating the robot into the production processes of automotive companies such as BYD and Nio. There, the robot is already working alongside human employees in assembly and quality control.

The Walker S1 humanoid robot has 41 degrees of freedom, as well as various visual and acoustic sensors that enable it to have 360-degree multimodal perception. It is equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) for general task planning. This means it can also perform some tasks (partially) autonomously.

New Walker S2 in the second quarter

UBTech is now planning to add an even more powerful model to the Walker S1 in the form of the Walker S2. The robot is set to be significantly lighter and stronger than its two predecessors. It will also work more precisely and have more advanced image processing and better AI algorithms, which are required for faster task planning. This humanoid robot is expected in the second quarter of 2025. According to UBTech's plan, it will then make up around 60 percent of the robots manufactured in 2025.

According to rumors, there is another robot model waiting in the wings. Information on this is scarce and uncertain. According to current information, this robot will be released towards the end of 2025.

However, it is obviously not only the automotive industry that is interested in using humanoid robots. The logistics company SF Express, for example, has tested the Walker S and wants to use it. A training project with the Walker S1 is currently underway with Apple's contract manufacturer, Foxconn. The two companies signed an agreement to this effect on January 15. If the project is successful, Foxconn intends to use the humanoid robot in its factories in Zhengzhou.

(olb)