Behind-the-scenes video authenticating EngineAI’s T800 robot

In the clip released this week, the humanoid robot T800 breaks down doors, swings its fists, and performs many difficult movements that require coordination of arms, legs, and body, such as jumping, kicking, and turning. The robot’s flexibility and agility made many viewers suspect that the video was computer-generated and not real footage, despite the caption “no CGI, no AI, no acceleration” below.

To clear up doubts, manufacturer EngineAI quickly released a behind-the-scenes video, showing staff filming the robot performing both in the studio and outdoors. The company explains that the robot moves flexibly thanks to the joint torque of 450 Nm and 29 degrees of freedom, not due to computer effects.

The T800 is 1.73 m tall, weighs 75 kg and has a battery life of 5 hours. The robot, which starts at 180,000 yuan ($25,500), is designed for heavy industrial tasks, tasks requiring precision in commercial service environments, as well as interactive functions for domestic support.

According to EngineAI, the robot’s physical performance exceeds 90% of adult men, and the operating cost is only about 1/3 that of human labor. The company said that in 2026, the team in Chongqing will promote context-specific validation and large-scale product deployment, continuously opening up diverse application scenarios.

EngineAI will also apply a “dual direction” strategy, one direction focusing on entertainment, including the Robot Boxer event scheduled to take place on December 24, the other direction focusing on practical applications. Some robots have been deployed as “tech workers” at retail stores in Shenzhen.

EngineAI is not the only Chinese robotics company facing doubts about its authenticity. In early November, Xpeng announced the latest version of its Iron humanoid robot at the AI ​​Day event in Guangzhou. Iron moves so gracefully that employees had to slit the robot’s synthetic skin to prove there was no one inside.

UBTech Robotics faced even more backlash when it released a video of hundreds of Walker S2 robots moving in sync. In response to doubts, the company released a behind-the-scenes video recorded with a drone, retaining the original sound. Tan Min, Brand Manager at UBTech, explains SCMP: “Many doubts stem from a lack of understanding of China’s manufacturing capabilities and supply chain synergies.”