Industry
Companies, supply chains, commercialization and deployment.
π*0.6 Model Breaks Imitation Learning Bottleneck; EraStellar Raises Nearly RMB 1 Billion
RobotEra secures nearly 1 billion RMB in Series A+ funding for its VLA embodied AI model. Meanwhile, the Stanford-founded startup Sunday launches home robot Memo, and PI's π*0.6 model achieves a breakthrough in Visual-Language-Action (VLA) capabilities.
D-Robotics' Hu Chunxu: Compute Must Match the Application—More Is Not Always Better
At the DDC 2025 D-Robotics Developer Conference, Vice President of Developer Ecosystem Hu Chunxu discussed the balance between computing power and cost, the distinction between AI Infra and Robot Infra, and D-Robotics' strategy of securing its core business while exploring future growth in an era where robots may number in the hundreds of millions.
Figure Founder Questions UBTECH, Highlighting the Unvarnished Reality of Robotics Competition
Figure AI founder Brett Adcock publicly questioned UBTECH's Walker S2 mass production video, sparking debate over authenticity and highlighting the urgent need for industry collaboration as robot manufacturers race toward commercialization.
Unitree Unveils First Wheeled Humanoid Robot
Unitree has launched the G1-D, its first wheeled humanoid robot, alongside a full-stack solution for data collection and model training. Designed for service, commercial, and industrial applications, the G1-D features enhanced stability, adjustable height, and up to 6 hours of battery life, marking Unitree's accelerated push into practical robotic tasks.
Tesla Optimus Latest Progress Emerges as Musk Celebrates
At the Tesla shareholder meeting, Musk danced with Optimus V2.5 after his compensation plan passed. The latest progress of Optimus has come to light, including details on its dexterous hand and production line.
Unitree Robots Begin Household Tasks After Learning to Move
Unitree has released a new teleoperation platform video showcasing its G1 humanoid robot performing household chores like cleaning and organizing. While the demos highlight improved dexterity and motion control, all tasks are currently conducted via teleoperation rather than autonomous decision-making.
XPeng Unveils Gendered IRON Humanoid Robot, Targets Mass Production by 2026
XPeng unveiled the new generation IRON robot at its 2025 Technology Day, introducing gender options and a more human-like design. Equipped with all-solid-state batteries and advanced AI, XPeng aims to mass-produce high-end humanoid robots by late 2026.
Unitree to Launch New Quadruped; 1X Robot Home Price at RMB 140,000; Leju Eyes A-Share IPO
This week in robotics: Unitree previews a high-performance new quadruped robot; 1X launches the NEO home humanoid robot starting at $20,000 (approx. 140,000 RMB); Leju Intelligent completes Pre-IPO financing and files for A-share listing; Dobot secures over 80 million RMB in embodied AI robot orders.
Unitree H2 priced at RMB 199,000; Tesla Optimus V3 expected in Q1; Songyan Dynamics Bumi robot launches at RMB 9,998
This week's highlights include Unitree's release of the humanoid robot H2, Tesla's plan to launch Optimus V3 next quarter, and Songyan Dynamics launching a consumer-grade humanoid robot for under 10,000 RMB.
Tesla Optimus V3 Set for Q1 Launch as Company Plans 1 Million Unit Production Line by Year-End
Elon Musk confirms Tesla Optimus V3 will launch in Q1 next year with a more human-like design. Tesla plans to build a 1 million unit production line by year-end, targeting annual outputs of 10 million for V4 and up to 100 million for V5.
Li Auto Invests in Qianjue Robotics; Yixing Robot Reports Dissolution; UBTECH Secures Orders
This week's tech roundup covers Li Auto's investment in Qianjue Robotics, reports that Yixing Robot has dissolved, and UBTECH securing significant orders for its Walker S2 humanoid robots.
Figure Founder Brett Adcock: We Lead Other Robot Companies by 1 to 2 Years
At Dreamforce, Figure founder Brett Adcock discussed the path to embodied AI, emphasizing that true intelligence, not manufacturing, is the core challenge. He predicts humanoid robots will complete general tasks via voice commands next year and argues humanoid forms will dominate due to scalability and training data advantages.