A Shanghai-based robotics company has unveiled a compact humanoid robot that marks the firm’s expansion beyond industrial collaborative robots into the broader field of intelligent robotics.

JAKA Robotics’ Pi is a compact humanoid robot that stands 1.22 meters tall and weighs 92 pounds (42 kilograms).

According to Jaka, Pi is designed for versatile real-world applications. The platform combines mobility, advanced perception capabilities, and human-like interaction to operate in a variety of environments.

Recently, China has introduced humanoid robots into its postal logistics network, using automated parcel sorters in Guangzhou to boost warehouse efficiency.

Compact humanoid debuts

JAKA Pi is a compact humanoid robot designed to showcase the company’s latest advances in embodied intelligence, motion control, and AI-powered interaction.

Measuring 1220 × 420 × 220 millimeters and weighing just 92 pounds (42 kilograms), the platform is among the most compact humanoids in its category.

The JAKA Pi features 27 degrees of freedom and newly developed integrated joint modules that are 15 to 27 percent smaller than previous generations, enabling a more compact and lightweight design. Its knee joints deliver up to 120Nm of torque for stable locomotion, while each arm supports payloads of up to 3 kilograms for object handling and manipulation tasks.

At the core of the robot is JAKA’s fusion brain architecture, built on Intel’s heterogeneous computing platform. The system separates high-level intelligence from low-level motion control. The “cerebrum” processes AI reasoning, vision perception, large language models, and application logic, while the “cerebellum” handles real-time movement through an EtherCAT-based control network operating with millisecond-level latency.

According to the firm, the dual-domain architecture enables the robot to interpret spoken instructions, understand its environment, generate action plans, and execute physical tasks with coordinated motion. By combining advanced AI with deterministic control systems, JAKA Pi serves as a versatile research and development platform for embodied intelligence, human-robot interaction, and next-generation robotics applications.

Beyond industrial automation

JAKA Robotics is a Shanghai-based robotics company founded in 2015 and best known for its collaborative robots (cobots) and emerging embodied AI platforms. Over the past decade, the company has evolved from an industrial automation specialist into a developer of intelligent robotic systems that combine advanced perception, force control, machine vision, and artificial intelligence.

Its core product lineup includes the JAKA Zu Series (Zu3, Zu5, Zu7, Zu12, Zu18, Zu20, Zu30), designed for general industrial automation tasks such as assembly, machine tending, palletizing, and packaging. The JAKA Pro Series (Pro5, Pro12, Pro16) is built for harsh industrial environments, featuring IP68-rated protection against dust, oil, and water.

For applications requiring precise force interaction, JAKA offers the S Series (S5 and S12), which integrates high-accuracy force sensing and advanced force-control capabilities. The AL and A Series combine robotic manipulation with machine vision, enabling perception-driven automation and easier deployment in dynamic production environments.

The company also produces compact robots such as the MiniCobo and Mini 2, aimed at education, research, hospitality, and small-scale automation. Supporting technologies include the JAKA Lens 2D and JAKA Lens VPS vision systems, six-axis force sensors, RoboHub control platforms, and low-code programming tools.

In embodied intelligence, JAKA has introduced the K-Series humanoid platforms, including the K1, K1L, and K1W, as well as the recently unveiled JAKA Pi humanoid robot. These systems integrate large language models, machine vision, force control, and real-time motion planning, positioning JAKA as a developer of next-generation AI-powered robots capable of operating beyond traditional industrial settings.

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Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) are using digital twin technology and virtual reality (VR) to develop robots capable of supporting future lunar exploration missions.

The project centers on Armstrong, a small three-wheeled robot that can be remotely operated through an immersive VR interface, allowing users to perform tasks such as picking up and moving objects.

While still confined to laboratory testing, the system is designed to help engineers study how fleets of robots could one day work alongside astronauts on the Moon, assisting with construction, scientific research, and the development of future lunar habitats.

“Our efforts at CU Boulder are intended to make lunar robots more efficient and recoverable from errors, so precious astronaut time on the lunar surface will be better utilized,” said the team in a statement.

Training lunar robots

Researchers are exploring how digital twins—highly realistic virtual reality simulations—can train operators to control robots in the Moon’s challenging environment. The technology enables realistic practice in low-gravity, crater-filled terrain without risking costly lunar hardware or mission-critical equipment.

At the center of CU Boulder’s effort is a compact three-wheeled robot equipped with a robotic arm and claw capable of manipulating objects. While the platform operates in a laboratory environment, it serves as a testbed for technologies that could eventually support large-scale lunar exploration and infrastructure development.

The project focuses on a major challenge facing future Moon missions: enabling astronauts and operators on Earth to effectively control robotic systems under harsh, unfamiliar lunar conditions. The Moon presents unique operational challenges, including low gravity, rugged terrain, deep craters, and permanently shadowed regions, which can complicate navigation and task execution.

To address these challenges, researchers developed a highly detailed digital twin of the robot and its surroundings. A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical system that mirrors its behavior in real time. Using the Unity game engine, the team recreated the robot’s operating environment with high accuracy, including its movement characteristics and interactions with objects. The virtual model was calibrated to ensure that the robot behaved in the digital environment exactly as it did in the real world.

The digital twin was integrated with an immersive virtual reality interface, allowing operators to experience robot control from a first-person perspective through onboard cameras. This setup enables users to practice complex manipulation tasks in a risk-free environment before operating physical hardware.

Virtual exploration training

To evaluate the effectiveness of the technology, researchers conducted experiments in which participants used the robot to perform precision object-handling tasks.

Some operators are first trained in the virtual environment before transitioning to the physical robot. Results showed that users who practiced with the digital twin completed tasks significantly faster and reported lower stress levels compared to those who only used the real robot.

The findings suggest that digital twins can become valuable training tools for future lunar operations, reducing learning curves and improving mission efficiency. Such capabilities are particularly important for space missions where robotic systems may cost millions of dollars and where operational errors can have serious consequences.

Building on the initial success of the indoor digital twin, researchers are now creating more advanced virtual models of lunar vehicles operating on the Moon itself. These simulations aim to replicate challenging environmental factors, including uneven terrain, lighting conditions, and lunar dust behavior.

Modeling lunar dust remains one of the most difficult technical challenges. As rovers travel across the surface, dust can be kicked into the air, potentially obscuring cameras, degrading sensors, and affecting vehicle performance. Because real-world lunar dust data is limited, accurately simulating its movement remains a key area of ongoing research.

According to researchers, by allowing operators to train in realistic virtual environments before deploying physical hardware, the technology could play a crucial role in enabling safer, more efficient robotic operations during future lunar missions and the long-term establishment of human infrastructure on the Moon.

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