Pudu Robotics, a Chinese company with more than 80,000 robots deployed globally, just introduced its first bipedal humanoid robot with the motto “Born to Serve.”
The Shenzen-based robotics firm says its extensive customer base positions it to accelerate maturity of its AI-powered humanoids. Pudu Robotics is positioning its PUDU D9 bipedal robot for industries where it already has a growing presence like retail, hospitality, healthcare, and cleaning.
Standing 170 cm (5 feet 7 inches), the PUDU D9 boasts 42 degrees of freedom (DoF). Its arms have 7 DoF each, with a combined payload capacity of 20 kg (44 lbs). The payload capacity is about half that of an average human its size and weight of 65 kg (143 lbs).
However, it isn’t intended for the same kind of heavy lifting as Chinese industrial humanoids from UBTECH and Kepler Robotics. The D9 is geared toward repetitive and delicate operations in commercial settings.
It walks at a pace of up to 2 m/s per (4.5 mph), matching the speed of a human’s brisk walk or slow jog. It navigates stairs and slopes, adapting to diverse terrains with its advanced 3 D semantic mapping system.
The robot integrates with PUDU’s recently unveiled DH11 dexterous hand, which offers 11 degrees of freedom for performing intricate tasks with precision. The PUDU hand has the same reported dexterity as the second-generation Tesla Optimus.
However, Elon Musk says it’s prototype of the next gen Tesla Bot’s hand has 22 DoF. He says the dexterity almost matches human hands, which have 27 DoF. Given the rapid pace China’s robots are advancing, it’s likely PUDU will have another iteration in 2025 with similar dexterity.
Pudu’s announcement comes just a few months after the company unveiled the PUDU D7, a so-called semi-humanoid robot. The D7 is designed to get around quickly with its omni directional chassis in places like hotels and hospitals. PUDU introduced the half humanoid with a video of it operating an elevator independently.
While Pudu doesn’t get as much press as perceived leaders in humanoid robotics like Tesla and Figure, or buzzy upstarts like ENGINEAI and Clone Robotics, it has some serious advantages. The company says its extensive customer base positions it to accelerate maturity of its AI-powered humanoids.
Pudu Robotics has spent the last decade breaking into industries with novel technologies globally. Today, the company says it has more than 80,000 robots deployed throughout 60 countries.
Its high profile clients include Marriot, Hilton, McDonalds, and both Pepsi and Coca Cola. Not only does Pudu have a large account base to sell into, it’s also set up for support with more than 600 service centers.
Launched in 2016, Pudu introduced its first delivery robot, called Pudu Bot, in 2019. The company has submitted over 1,600 global patents and registered nearly 1,300 trademarks.
Pudu’s offerings include:
- Commercial delivery robots like Bellabot and Kettybot, which are used in places like restaurants, hotels, and retail stores.
- Cleaning robots like the PUDU CC1 and PUDU SH1, which incorporate AI-powered navigation for industrial and commercial settings.
- The T300 industrial delivery robot, which operates 24 7 with a 300 kilo payload capacity.
Pudu also just introduced its MT1 AI-powered robotic sweeper for large-scale cleaning jobs in places like warehouses and department stores. It features advanced navigation and real-time trash recognition capabilities. Pudu says the sweeper’s battery lasts up to 6 hours.
Pudu’s open platform serves as the backbone for controlling and customizing its robots. The Android-based operating system allows developers to adjust navigation, human-robot interaction, and task-specific behaviors. Pudu says the platform supports interoperability so different Pudu machines can work together or alongside third-party systems
Pudu X-Lab, the company’s R&D wing, developed the D9 and D7 humanoids. While they’re in the experimental phase now, the humanoids could soon take on tasks for Pudu’s customers that require human-like mobility and dexterity.
Pudu is unleashing its humanoids as the company actively scales manufacturing capacity to accommodate growth. The company recently opened a new super factory in Jiangsu in the Yangtze River Delta, one of China’s most economically developed and strategically important regions.
The 40K square-meter factory uses advanced manufacturing tech to boost production and quality. The factory is where Pudu celebrated the rollout of its 80,000th robot, the CC1 commercial cleaning robot. The company says the new factory is only part of its global expansion strategy.
Pudu Robotics is experiencing significant growth in Japan, where it faces competition from the likes of Alpha Robotics, whose service robots are increasingly in demand.
In the US, California-based Bear Robotics also specializes in AI-powered autonomous service robots for the hospitality, healthcare, and retail industries. The company, which was launched in 2017, announced a $60 million Series C funding round earlier in 2024 exclusively led by LG Electronics. The investment is intended to help break Bear Robotics into new markets including smart warehousing and supply chain automation.
In China, Pudu faces competition from the likes of Keenon Robotics, which makes service and delivery bots; Gaussian Robotics, which is known for advanced commercial cleaning robots; and UBTECH, which has a suite of humanoid and service robots for diverse applications.
To keep up with whatever happens in humanoid robotics in 2025 and beyond, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel.