A Chinese company introduced a new robot: ‘It enters the territory of the uncanny valley. It’s a bit scary’

The public is divided between admiration for the technology and deep discomfort. Although it is easy to recognize as a robot due to the plastic/silicone texture of the skin and somewhat “dead look”, several bizarre details set it apart from the average cold mechanical machine and push it deep into the psychological territory known as the “uncanny valley”.

A warm coat and a walk that freezes the blood in the veins

What makes Moya particularly unusual is her body heat. Thanks to the intelligent temperature control system built into its silicone skin, Moya maintains a surface temperature between 32 and 36 degrees Celsius. The result is a robot that is warm to the touch, instead of the cold and metallic feeling typical of machines. Establishesč DroidUp’s Li Qingdu explained this decision in an interview with Shanghai Eye:

– A robot that truly serves human life should be warm, almost like a living being that people can connect with.

In addition to warmth, DroidUp claims that Moya achieves 92 percent accuracy in replicating human gait and posture. Her hips and knees rotate and bend in a human-like manner, with constant self-correction of balance. Although some movements are still a bit stiff or “floaty”, the fluidity is far beyond what we are used to with most humanoid robots. There are cameras behind her eyes that allow her to track people in real time and maintain direct contact with them, while more than 25 precise actuators in her face enable the creation of subtle micro-expressions such as smiles, head nods, even winks.

Technology on the edge of science fiction

At 1.65 meters tall and weighing only 32 kilograms, Moya is extremely light thanks to the advanced materials used in its construction. Its advanced skeleton, known as the “Walker 3” chassis, is an upgrade from the previous model (Walker 2) that won third place in the first world robot half-marathon held in Beijing.

This new version uses lightweight materials and tendon-driven systems, which enable more natural movement, better cooling and greater durability. Moya not only functions as a programmed machine, but also; uses the principle of artificial intelligence placed in the physical body (embodied AI). This means that he perceives, thinks and acts directly in the physical world. Its AI system detects the user’s emotions and preferences, enabling it to provide customized and empathic responses that evolve over time. Precisely because of this, its primary purpose is in sectors where human interaction is key, such as care for the elderly, education and service activities.

Fascination and fear on social networks

Public reactions were, as expected, divided. While some expressed admiration for the technological advancement, many users on Chinese social networks such as Weibo described the robot as “creepy”, “scary” or “like from Westworld”.

Comments ranged from humor to outright fear, with some of the more popular ones including statements that they were afraid the robot was “standing next to their bed at night” or that it “looks like a great scarecrow for burglars.”

This strong discomfort is a classic example of the psychological phenomenon known as the uncanny valley. This concept explains why replicas that look almost, but not perfectly human, evoke feelings of revulsion and creepiness in us, rather than empathy.

The more human-like a robot is, our affection for it grows, but only up to a point. When the similarity becomes too high, but still noticeably imperfect (eg realistic movements with occasional stiffness, “dead stare” despite warm skin and micro-expressions), our positive reaction suddenly falls into the “valley” of discomfort. It is Moya’s characteristics that place her deep in that disturbing space – most of the comments say that she is still in the valley, not that she has crossed it.

DroidUp plans to release Moya on the market at the end of 2026, with an expected starting price of around 1.2 million yuan (approximately 170,000 euros). Initial production will be limited (eg first batch of around 50 units) and targeted at selected applications in healthcare, education and commercial services.