BEIJING: A Chinese technology start-up has unveiled a 13-foot (four-metre) humanoid robot that it claims can lift loads of up to 500 kilogrammes, potentially expanding the use of robotics in heavy industry and hazardous environments.
Beijing-based NeodraDynamics said its AI-powered Neo1 robot was designed to surpass the physical capabilities of conventional human-sized robots by handling demanding industrial tasks.
Weighing 1.2 tonnes, the robot uses hydraulic actuators rather than conventional electric motors to generate greater lifting force. Its combined two-arm payload is comparable to the weight of a small car or a fully grown cow, according to the company.
“Robots should not merely replicate human forms but surpass human physical limits to create unprecedented operational capabilities,” said Yang Tao, founder of NeodraDynamics.
🚨 Un robot humanoide de 4 METROS se pone a mover los brazos en mitad de una feria de Shanghái.
Los que pasan por delante no le llegan ni a la cintura.
Pesa más de una tonelada y su fabricante dice que levanta 500 kilos con los dos brazos https://t.co/CdX48YjhcV
— YokerAI (@IATheYoker) October 23, 2026
The Neo1 was unveiled at the China International Industry Fair in October. It is designed for applications such as heavy assembly, mining and debris removal in disaster-hit areas.
The company also claims the robot can achieve fingertip precision of 0.01 millimetres, potentially enabling it to perform delicate tasks such as threading a needle.
Describing the machine as a “superhumanoid robot”, NeodraDynamics said its long-term ambitions extended beyond industrial applications to include serving households.
However, the company has yet to demonstrate the robot’s claimed capabilities in practice. A display model at the industry fair showed only limited limb movements.
The unveiling comes as China accelerates its efforts to establish itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence and robotics. The country’s latest five-year plan, approved in March, places AI-powered robotics at the centre of its economic strategy.
China already operates more than two million industrial robots, according to figures cited from its National Bureau of Statistics. A separate report published last month by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) found that China accounted for 59 per cent of all new industrial robot installations worldwide.
The country is also home to more than half of the world’s humanoid robot manufacturers. “China’s success in modernising its industrial system is based on its national robotics strategy, which was initiated ten years ago,” said Jane Heffner, president of the IFR.
She said the latest update under China’s 15th Five-Year Plan for 2026–2030 aimed to direct AI research towards practical applications, with robotics expected to play a major role in economic growth.
Despite the growing attention surrounding humanoid machines, they remain a small segment of the global robotics market.
About 7,000 humanoid robots were sold worldwide for industrial and professional use last year, compared with 603,000 industrial robots installed globally, according to the IFR.
