"Cheaper Than a Car"... $60,000 Household Robot to Be Released for $20,000 [Inside China's Humanoid Ecosystem] ②

Interview with Tan Min, Chief Brand Officer of Ubitech
Visiting the Headquarters of Ubitech, the First Listed Humanoid Robot Company
First Commercialization of Humanoid Robots: Industrial Supply Begins This Year
The Secret to Rapid Growth:

Editor's NoteIt is not unusual to see parents bringing robots to school sports days in Shenzhen, China. Robots have become deeply integrated into daily life in China, to the extent that the country even hosts a Robot Olympics. This landscape is supported by an ecosystem that enables easy robot manufacturing. In Huaqiangbei, Shenzhen, it is possible to source all the parts needed to build a robot within a single day. Robots produced in this way are then deployed in factories and other settings, creating a virtuous cycle that boosts productivity. In contrast, in Korea, robots remain confined to laboratories and prototypes, with the country struggling to even reach the starting line of industrialization. Asia Economy examined the structure and pace of the humanoid robot ecosystem on the ground in Shenzhen, China. As the world is already competing to commercialize robots, we urgently seek solutions on how Korea should reshape its industrial strategy to address missed opportunities and avoid falling behind.

"Currently, it costs between $50,000 and $60,000 (70 million to 80 million won) to build a single robot. Ubitech is preparing a home humanoid robot priced at around 27 million won. Although it will likely take at least 8 to 10 years for household services to be fully realized, preparations for market entry have already begun."

Tan Min, Chief Brand Officer (CBO) of Ubitech, China's first publicly listed humanoid robot company, expressed confidence in the growing demand for robots during an interview with Asia Economy at Ubitech's headquarters in Nanshan District, Shenzhen, on the 18th of last month.

The new humanoid robot "Walker S2" by Ubitech, featuring a user-replaceable battery. Ubitech.

Since its founding in March 2012, Ubitech has dedicated 13 years to developing humanoid robots. The company has declared this year as the first year of humanoid commercialization and has begun mass production of industrial robots. CBO Tan set the direction by saying, "We are not focused on performance demonstrations like running, but rather on commercialization for deployment in industrial settings."

Ubitech's ultimate goal is to popularize home humanoid robots. To achieve this, the company is currently focusing on supplying industrial robots. While the production target for this year is 1,000 units, the plan is to scale up to tens of thousands of units within the next two years. CBO Tan stated, "Robots will play a role in filling labor shortages."

Ubitech headquarters located in Smart Park, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China. Photo by Park Juni.

Ubitech's progress has been made possible by more than a decade of accumulated development. In 2012, the company developed the small humanoid robot "Alpha" series in China and began selling it in 2014, mainly for educational and exhibition purposes. In 2016, Ubitech began research on large humanoid robots and started supplying the industrial "Walker S" series last year. Robots have been deployed for production, logistics, and quality inspection work in various factories, including automotive plants such as BYD, Volkswagen, and Audi, as well as in companies like Foxconn and SF Express.

At the headquarters that day, the industrial robot "Walker S1," supplied by Ubitech to industrial sites, was on display. Walker S1 could recognize the location of items, transport them to different places, and then re-recognize their new locations to adjust its movements. It also demonstrated the ability to recognize and pronounce the Chinese word "Nihao" ("Hello") written on a chalkboard.

On the 18th of last month, the industrial humanoid robot "Walker S1" was moving items at the Ubitech headquarters exhibition hall located in Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China. Photo by Park Juni.

Recently, Ubitech also unveiled its new humanoid robot "Walker S2," which features a user-replaceable battery. The robot was able to walk to the battery replacement station, remove its own battery, and install a new one by itself.

Tanmin, Chief Brand Officer (CBO) of UbiTech. UbiTech.

CBO Tan stated that China's self-sustaining industrial ecosystem is the driving force behind its growth. He explained that, rather than relying on government support, companies and their partners are growing through the momentum of the market itself. "China's industrial growth is the result of expanding private sector demand combined with the entry of global big tech companies such as Nvidia, Tesla, Microsoft, and Google," he said. He further emphasized, "The greatest strength of China's supply chain is the high level of cooperation and efficiency across the entire industrial chain, which is difficult for foreign companies to replicate in a short period of time."

He also highlighted the abundance of research-oriented talent in China. CBO Tan said, "Humanoid robots are a highly advanced industry that requires deep integration of multiple fields, including mechanical engineering, electronics, and artificial intelligence (AI). China has secured a large pool of engineering talent in AI, robotics, and automation, which plays a critical role in industrial development." He added, "Humanoid robots are the optimal medium for implementing AI in the physical world, and I am confident that there will eventually be more humanoid robots than the human population."

On the 18th of last month, parts used in Ubittech humanoid robot products were exhibited at the Ubittech headquarters showroom located in Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China. Photo by Park Juni.