With warm skin, expressive features and human-like movement, Moya is redefining what a social robot can be.
In early 2026, the Shanghai-based robotics company DroidUp unveiled Moya, one of the most advanced humanoid robots ever built, and one designed not for factory floors but for social interaction and companionship.
With an estimated selling price of $173,000 USD, Moya is described as a fully biomimetic embodied intelligent robot一meaning she’s engineered to not just move through space but perceive, reason and interact with people in real time. Standing at about 1.65 m tall (5.41 ft) and weighing around 32 kg (70.5 lbs), Moya’s proportions and movement were deliberately crafted to resemble those of an adult human.
Unlike the cold, metallic design of many robots, Moya has warm, flesh-like skin that can maintain a surface temperature between 32 °C and 36 °C (90–97 °F), the same range as human skin. This feature is intended to make contact and interaction feel more natural and to foster emotional connection一a significant step beyond the usual “machine aesthetic.”
Moya’s movement and expression capabilities are also notable: she can walk with about 92% human-like gait accuracy, hold eye contact, smile, nod and exhibit subtle “micro-expressions” using AI driven by cameras and sensors in her head. These traits help her interact in ways that feel responsive and intuitive, rather than purely mechanical.
DroidUp envisions Moya playing roles in healthcare, education, customer service and elder care, with the idea that she might someday serve as a companion for people needing interaction and support. The emphasis on warmth and lifelike interaction一rather than brute strength or industrial function一marks a shift in how robots are designed for real-world roles.
However, responses to Moya have been mixed. Many are fascinated by the technological leap, while others feel uneasy at how lifelike she appears一a psychological phenomenon often called the “uncanny valley.”
Whether celebrated as a breakthrough in social robotics or critiqued for pushing too close to human resemblance, Moya represents a major moment in robotics一one that could reshape how we think about companionship, care and the relationships between humans and machines.
