UBTech just introduced its first full-size Ultra-Bionic humanoid robot, but what it really wants to do is make robot replicas of loved ones — that's a hard no | Tech Radar

Overview

News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets

Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more

Details

Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.

Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.

UBTech just introduced its first full-size Ultra-Bionic humanoid robot, but what it really wants to do is make robot replicas of loved ones — that's a hard no

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

It launches in China this year but there are also plans to customize the to look however you wish

Ubtech, last seen deploying humanoid robots to patrol the China-Vietnam border, is back with its creepiest creation yet, the UWorld U1, its first mass-produced, full-sized "ultra-bionic humanoid robot."

I know that's a mouthful, but the UWorld U1 Series does mark a departure for UBTech, which has traditionally produced faceless automatons aimed primarily at business, enterprise, and the border. However, the company has long had consumer ambitions, and the UWorld U1 Series may be the bot to realize them.

This new humanoid robot features silicon skin, a lifelike face with eyes that follow you, lashes that blink coquetishly (ick), and 88 degrees of freedom across its full-sized robotic body. It even has what UBTech calls a "dual-pivot biomimetic cervical spine," which apparently gives it more human-like movements.

UBTech unveiled the robots earlier this week at a splashy launch event in Shenzhen, China. There are three models in the Series: the U1 Lite semi-torso edition, the high-performance full-body U1 Pro, and the high-dynamic full-body U1 Ultra.

During the launch on June 30, 2026, several UWorld U1 Ultra humanoids walked the stage, interspersed with actual humans. The idea, I think, was to confuse the viewer so they might not know which was which. In truth, the robots all looked a little plastic, or like characters straight out of your favorite anime, and they walked somewhat awkwardly.

'They're building each other': new 1X Neo robot video shows the humanoids assisting in the robot production process, just as all science fiction foretold

'This is the robot I wanted to build forever': former i Robot chief on his extraordinary 'Familiar' AI companion

I just watched a robot kick a child, and I'm over it

To further prove their believability, UBTech had one robot dance with a tuxedoed human. At times, it looked as if he might be supporting a potentially teetering UWorld U1 robot.

In addition to questionable dance moves, UWorld U1 is equipped with an "emotion-aware LLM" that the company claims will help it recognize and respond to "fine-grained emotional states." It's designed as a proactive companion, responding to human interaction in a fraction of a second.

UBTech also, somewhat comically, promises a focus on privacy, in a country where the Chinese government can ask to see all your data at any time. Still, UBTech's privacy architecture is smartly focusing on "minimal cloud dependency," which means most of your data may not be with UBTech anyway.

According to a release, the UWorld U1 is designed to meet a real and growing need in China, where the company claims that 90 million adults are living alone and there are 118 million empty-nest senior citizens.

The company is so concerned about this growing issue that it plans to donate 100 of these robots in 2026. But here's where things get really weird. I'll let Ubtech speak for itself:

These robot hands are almost too human but they could accelerate the home robot revolution

Humanoid robots won’t be the future: purpose-built robots will

Nvidia, Unitree, and Sharpa are making the most capable humanoid robots yet

"These units will incorporate 3D facial reconstruction and voiceprint-based identity replication technologies to recreate designated individuals, while integrating emotion-driven interaction models and dedicated long-term memory systems."

As I read that, they plan to make these robots look like the person of your choice., Perhaps it's a dead husband or maybe an adult child who moved away. The custom UWorld U1 Ultra will look, sound, and maybe even respond like your missing companion.

Yikes! How did we get here? Why is life imitating Black Mirror? In truth, these robots are unlikely to fool anyone into thinking they're really human. Sure, UBTech did its best to confuse us in the presentation, but in the real world, that cold silicon, odd gait, and sure-to-be-creepy interactions won't be fooling anyone and will be a poor substitute for your missing partner.

Also, if you really are interested, you'll have to move to China and plop down the equivalent of almost $18,000 in US dollars when they ship sometime this year.

Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.

A 38-year industry veteran and award-winning journalist, Lance has covered technology since PCs were the size of suitcases and “on line” meant “waiting.” He’s a former Lifewire Editor-in-Chief, Mashable Editor-in-Chief, and, before that, Editor in Chief of PCMag.com and Senior Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis, Inc. He also wrote a popular, weekly tech column for Medium called The Upgrade.

Lance Ulanoff makes frequent appearances on national, international, and local news programs including Live with Kelly and Mark, the Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, CNN, and the BBC.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

17 discs new 4K Blu-rays to add to your collection from June 2026

2 How to watch Belgium vs Senegal: Free Streams, TV Channels & Kick-Off time for FIFA World Cup 2026 as Kevin De Bruyne & Co. eye progress

3 Are you a You Tube Premium user? You could be paying more than you should be if you’ve subscribed through the Apple App Store

4 Exclusive: Blood Message developer describes working on a AAA narrative game as 'every team member's dream' — 'We are all fans of so many great titles, like Uncharted, like The Last of Us'

5 Meta just paywalled a super-useful Ray-Ban smart glasses accessibility feature — and I have 3 reasons why this decision makes zero sense

Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Key Takeaways

• News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
• Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
• Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
• Unlock instant access to exclusive member features
• Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards