A new Chinese humanoid robot just burst onto the scene doing a full airborne backflip, which its developers say is made possible with its unprecedented power.
Beijing Phybot Technology Co., Ltd., formally launched its new flagship humanoid, the PHYBOT M1, with a 41-second video showing the full-sized humanoid pulling off the stunt from multiple angles. Calling the robot the most powerful humanoid yet, Phybot says it’s ushering in “a new superhuman era for humanoid robots.”
Though other fully electric humanoid robots, like Unitree’s H1 and Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, have demonstrated backflips, Phybot calls the M1 “the first full-sized electric humanoid to pull off a humanlike backflip.” They claim the M1 produces more than 10 kilowatts of power in one burst, which is like giving a human-sized machine the strength of a small motorcycle engine for a split second. According to Phybot, that extra power empowers its robot to launch itself into the air and flip so forcefully.
Standing 172 cm (5 feet 7 inches) tall, the PHYBOT M1 weighs under 60 kg (132 lbs) and uses a high-performance 72-volt system for energy. It boasts a reported 32 degrees of freedom (DoF), dual 9Ah swappable batteries that offer more than 2 hours of runtime, and peak joint torque reaching 530 N·m in lab tests. Its top speed is reported as 10 km/h (6.2 mph).
The robot’s build is titanium and aluminum. Phybot says its active cooling system equips it for continuous high-power tasks. The startup’s proprietary PhyArc cycloidal drives can reportedly handle shock loads up to 5x overload capacity without damage and with minimal wear and backlash.
Its onboard artificial intelligence is powered by a compact NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX AI computer paired with an Intel Core i7 processor. The robot’s sensor suite includes 3D LiDAR, stereo RGB cameras, and an IMU for mapping its surroundings, understanding depth, and maintaining balance. Phybot markets the design as “AI-native.”
Phybot is positioning the M1 as a research-grade humanoid robot with pricing targeted under $42,000. The startup provides an open SDK and APIs.
Phybot also has a smaller robot, the C1, which is marketed as an AI-powered companion. The PHYBOT C1 stands 128 cm (4 feet 2 inches) tall and weighs 28 kg (62 lbs).
The startup was launched in September 2024 by Ren Xiaoyu and Mao Shuhan, who were roommates in Tsinghua University’s mechanical engineering program. Ren, who acts as CEO, previously worked on humanoid algorithms for Shenzhen-based UBTECH Robotics and as a senior motion control engineer at Fourier in Shanghai. His co-founder Mao has dual degrees in engineering and finance and has worked in investment banking.