Meet Moya: The world’s first lifelike embodied intelligent robot that winks and smiles like a human

We've all paused mid-video, staring at a robot that blinks, smiles, or walks just like us, and some of these are perfect enough to make your skin crawl!

These machines aren't clunky parts anymore; they're gradually stepping into our world with human-like charm, sparking debates on where imitation ends and reality begins.

And one lifelike robot's debut in China has social media buzzing.

Who is Moya?

DroidUp recently launched Moya in Shanghai, calling it the world's first fully biomimetic embodied intelligent robot. Standing 1.65 metres tall and weighing 32 kg, it has nearly adult human proportions. Videos from the South China Morning Post show Moya smiling, nodding, holding eye contact, and walking with 92% human-like posture accuracy.

Built on embodied AI, Moya perceives, reasons, and acts in real spaces. It maintains body heat at 32–36°C for a realistic feel and replicates micro-expressions.

What is the tech behind the smile?

Moya runs on the "Walker 3" chassis, an upgrade from DroidUp's Walker 2, which took third place in Beijing's humanoid half-marathon.

It offers modular customisation for appearances, lightweight lattice "muscles," improved cooling, and high endurance. Details remain limited, but it focuses on fluid, social movements rather than raw industrial speed.

How can it be applicable in daily life?

Moya arrives as humanoid robots are being developed in various styles worldwide. Some look cartoonish to dodge human likeness; others stay mechanical for factories. DroidUp pushes ultra-realistic designs to beat the uncanny valley head-on.

The company sees Moya as suitable for healthcare, education, and commercial spots needing real interaction, not just home use or heavy labour. It targets cosy, long chats over speed or strength. Expect a market launch in late 2026 at around a ¥1.2 million starting price, per SCMP video figures, though final details are pending.

Why it stands apart

Moya focuses on warm, friendly behaviour for elder care and companionship, coming from Shanghai's Zhangjiang Robot Valley. In a packed robot market, its spot-on human-like appearance could change how service bots connect with people.