Budget-friendly models are raising hopes that humanoids have finally gone mainstream – but business model fragile, industry insiders say.

A wave of humanoid robot launches in China this year has shaken up the market with eye-catching low prices – though some industry insiders warn the trend might not be financially tainable and could be driven more by hype and capital than by genuine technological progress. Beijing-based Noetix Robotics launched presales for its child-sized humanoid Bumi last week, selling more than 200 units at 9,998 yuan (US$1,408) each within the first three hours. Five hundred units were sold in the first two…

From China - South China Morning Post via This RSS Feed.