CHINA: While robots usually come with hefty price tags and science-fiction-level complexity, a new pint-sized entrant from China is rewriting the rules, one affordable step at a time.
Beijing-based startup Noetix Robotics has unveiled Bumi, a 3.1-foot-tall humanoid robot designed to be child-friendly, wallet-friendly, and surprisingly agile. Priced at just ¥9,998 (S$1,870), Bumi is now being dubbed the “world’s cheapest” consumer-grade humanoid robot, according to reports from Interesting Engineering.
It’s not just a toy, and it’s not just another tech demo—This is for real!
While it might resemble a toy at first glance, Bumi is no lightweight in the robotics space. Weighing in at just 12kg, this mini-biped is built with a serious mission: To democratise robotics for homes, classrooms, and hobbyists—not just corporate labs.
Noetix describes Bumi as the “industry’s first consumer-grade humanoid robot priced below ¥10,000,” a major milestone in breaking down the price barrier that has kept humanoids confined to research labs and MNC-funded R&D facilities.
Think of it as the Xiaomi of robots—minimalist, functional, and engineered to delight.
It walks, it talks, and it dances too!
Yes, really! Early demos show Bumi strutting with surprising stability and even busting out a dance move or two. It features in-house motion control, voice interaction, and child-friendly drag-and-drop programming to teach beginners how to code—without the intimidating steep learning curve.
Its creators made deliberate design choices to keep it affordable, including the use of lightweight composite materials and a modular build optimized for learning, not labor. The 48V battery gives it 1–2 hours of run time—just enough for a coding class, a play session, or a TikTok-worthy waltz around the living room.
Robot child + retail therapy
Noetix announced that pre-orders for Bumi will open between China’s Double 11 (Nov 11) and Double 12 (Dec 12) shopping festivals—imagine snagging a humanoid robot between your Singles’ Day flash deals.
This strategic launch period echoes the sales-savvy approach of many e-commerce giants, but this time, the star item is a walking, talking, dancing robot child.
Singaporean tech and robotics fans who’ve been priced out of humanoid ownership may finally get their hands on one—no need to sell your HDB flat to afford a Boston Dynamics model.
From research lab to family home
Founded in September 2023 by researchers from Tsinghua and Zhejiang Universities, Noetix has made remarkable progress. Their previous robot—the Noetix N2—racked up more than 2,500 orders and even competed in a humanoid half-marathon.
With Bumi, they’re taking aim at the mainstream market, and it’s not just for kids—think of it as a family-friendly Siri with legs. Whether you want a homework buddy, a coding assistant, or simply a futuristic conversation piece, Bumi ticks the boxes.
Humanoids go mass market
Bumi’s unveiling comes hot on the heels of a humanoid arms race in China. Unitree recently launched the full-sized H2 robot with 31 degrees of freedom, while UBTECH introduced its research-grade Tiangong Walker.
But Bumi stands apart—not for being the strongest, fastest, or tallest, but for being the most accessible. In Singapore terms, it’s the difference between a luxury EV and a practical COE-friendly hatchback.
As Interesting Engineering aptly puts it, Bumi may not rival Tesla’s Optimus or Boston Dynamics’ Atlas (which cost tens of thousands or even millions), but at under S$2,000, it “offers a price point comparable to flagship smartphones or high-end drones and laptops.”
And in a future where robot companions may become the norm, Bumi might also be your family’s first robotic child, or your next AI sibling.
