Main points
- DroidUp in China introduced the anthropomorphic robot Moya, which can imitate a human thanks to artificial intelligence, including the appearance and internal structure of the body.
- Moya can express complex facial expressions, move and maintain eye contact, and her surface is made of environmentally friendly silicone that mimics the properties of skin, muscle and fat.
The Moya humanoid imitates human skin and muscles / Collage of Channel 24
Shanghai-based DroidUp has unveiled the anthropomorphic robot Moya, the world's first fully human-like artificial intelligence robot that can replicate not only the appearance but also the internal structure of the body, including muscles and adipose tissue.
Thanks to the built-in heating system and the use of soft materials, the robot evokes a feeling of contact with a living person, says InfoHightech.
What is the Chinese robot capable of?
The presentation of the new product took place at the end of January 2026. Moya appeared before the audience in the form of a girl about 1.65 meters tall and weighing 32 kilograms. The robot moved freely, maintained a line of sight with those present, nodded and demonstrated various emotional states.
Moya's technical base is a modular platform where you can change facial features, gender and character traits. The body surface is made of environmentally friendly silicone, which realistically conveys the properties of skin, muscles and fat.
A special thermal regulation system keeps the surface temperature within 32 – 36 degrees Celsius, making the machine naturally warm to the touch.
Moya – a Chinese robot with human-like touch – watch the video:
The android's face is capable of transmitting complex facial expressions thanks to 25 actuators in its head, Weixin reports. Moya can express not only basic anger or joy, but also barely noticeable subconscious muscle contractions that people react to instinctively. For movement, an updated Walker 3 platform with lightweight cellular “muscles” is used, providing smoothness and endurance.
Although the robot has a human-like gait accuracy of 92%, some of its movements can still look a bit artificial. The robot navigates in space using 3D navigation and pressure sensors, and its joints have 16 degrees of freedom.
Why was Moya created?
DroidUp CEO Li Qingdu says that a robot designed to help people should be warm and relatable, with the developers focusing on emotional contact rather than physical strength.
Moya is expected to go on sale in 2026 for around $173,000. For that money, the buyer will get a caring caregiver or an empathetic companion.
More news from the world of robotics
The field of robotics is actively developing, and almost every month a number of new developments or applications appear in different parts of the world.
- Recently, SoftBank Robotics' humanoid robot Pepper was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the first mass-produced service robot. The platform on which the robot is built uses modern AI technologies to interact with people and perform service tasks.
- At CES 2026, Beatbot introduced RoboTurtle, a robotic turtle for environmental research that mimics the movements of a living turtle. The robot can silently observe underwater ecosystems and has a built-in camera to monitor water and fish conditions.
- Meanwhile, Kawasaki announced the start of development of CORLEO, a four-legged transport robot that will hit the market 15 years earlier than planned. It runs on a hydrogen engine, is equipped with artificial intelligence for terrain analysis, and uses the latest technologies for safe movement.