Reporter |
Editor | Liu Fangyuan
Recently, you’ve probably started spotting NUPIAO’s (formerly Shangwei New Materials) physical stores popping up everywhere. Our team has confirmed that the storefronts for NUPIAO PrimeBOT in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Xi’an, and other cities are finally ready . They are about to open their doors, kicking off product sales and hands-on experiences.
Tian Hua, the CEO of NUPIAO, recently sat down with us for an interview. This marks his very first public statement since taking the helm, and it’s also the company’s first deep dive into exactly how they plan to dominate the personal robot space.
For those who missed the backstory: NUPIAO was founded back in 2000 and made its mark in chemical manufacturing before listing on the STAR Market in 2020. But things changed in November 2025 when Shanghai Zhiyuan Hengyue Technology Partnership completed a tender offer to take control. Since then, NUPIAO has clearly shifted its strategy toward “New Materials + Embodied Intelligence,” launching its robot division under the brand name NUPIAO PrimeBOT.
We learned earlier this year that NUPIAO started doubling down on “Embodied AI.” In May, they updated their business scope to include AI hardware and smart home consumer devices, clearing all regulatory hurdles. Now, they have the green light to handle everything from R&D and manufacturing to selling humanoid robots end-to-end.
This isn’t just a random pivot; it’s a move right as the entire embodied AI industry faces its biggest test yet.
Looking at the big picture, 2026 is widely seen by experts as the “Year One” for mass-producing humanoid robots and the critical turning point for commercial success. According to a recent report from TrendForce, the Chinese humanoid robot market is expected to smash past the 10 billion yuan mark this year.
In such a massive growth window, most companies are rushing into B-side industrial scenarios. But NUPIAO PrimeBOT is taking a different path, focusing entirely on C-side personal robots.
The star of the show? The PrimeBOT Q1. On December 31st last year, they officially unveiled their first full-body force-controlled humanoid robot, the Q1. This launch signaled their entry into the personal robot赛道 (track) and clarified their direction for the first time.
Here’s the kicker: the Q1 isn’t just a toy. It achieves breakthroughs in joint systems, size, and application scenarios, compressing lab-grade humanoid capabilities into a backpack-sized package. The Q1 shrinks the total volume to just 1/8th of a standard full-size robot. How? By using QDD quasi-direct-drive joints smaller than a single egg, while still retaining the force-control performance and high dynamic response of full-size models.
During our chat, Tian Hua drew a clear line between industrial robots, household robots, and personal robots. He argues that industrial robots are purely production tools for creating value. Household robots like vacuums or washing machines are functional tools. But “Personal Robots”? That definition hinges on the word “Personal”—emphasizing companionship, growing together, living alongside, and learning with you.
He uses a three-layer framework to explain product value: Functional Value, Emotional Value, and Asset Value. He believes personal robots are the only ones that naturally possess all three.
Tian Hua also introduced his “Three-Wave Curve” theory for personal robot evolution. Wave 1 is basic curiosity—showing off tricks to give users that initial dopamine hit. He thinks most robots today are stuck here. Wave 2 relies on content, needing a more open ecosystem to keep users engaged long-term. Wave 3 adds emotional and asset attributes, pointing toward deeper integration into family life.
His goal is crystal clear: NUPIAO is betting heavily on capturing Wave 2 and Wave 3.
Addressing the elephant in the room—privacy and ethics risks in home environments—he explained that sizing the Q1 at roughly 88cm and 15kg isn’t arbitrary. It’s designed to be approachable and safe enough for family spaces. Plus, they’ve integrated torque sensors and force control for extra safety. On the data front, they’re serious: sensitive data gets desensitized locally, strictly managed in the cloud, and users retain full rights to know, manage, and control their camera feeds.
Actually, in the last couple of months, we’ve seen many domestic robot brands collectively moving their stores into shopping malls.
On this trend, Tian Hua noted a key difference. Unlike others, NUPIAO is building experience centers. His logic? Personal robots haven’t been truly defined yet. If consumers haven’t experienced what a robot can actually do for them, they won’t buy it. So, these stores must be built around user experience.
When it comes to competition, Tian Hua points out some common industry flaws: First, uneven capabilities where either hardware or software lags. Second, most products are stuck in the “eye candy” phase of one-way tech demos without ecosystems or content to build long-term stickiness. Third, a lack of positive design focused on experience, often just shoving AI large models into a shell without achieving true multimodal human-like interaction.
He emphasized that NUPIAO’s core strength lies in a user-centric “Body + Brain” architecture. The body must be stable and safe. The “brains” cover motion intelligence with sensor fusion, multimodal human-like interaction, and future household task models. “This track is a marathon that tests long-term patience,” he stressed.
Regarding how NUPIAO’s original business fuels this innovation, Tian Hua gave a perfect example: materials. He says every technical hurdle eventually boils down to materials. NUPIAO’s decades of accumulation in lightweight, eco-friendly, and high-strength materials can be directly applied to the robot bodies. The two teams have already synced up perfectly, so expect some key materials to be supplied in-house once products hit the market.
As for the big question everyone is asking—pricing and exact release dates for the first batch—Tian Hua said he’ll save the reveal for the upcoming product launch event.
