There’s a new humanoid service bot making waves, and it’s called Moya. Experts in technology are raising concerns about its surprisingly lifelike features, including skin that feels alarmingly warm and eyes equipped with cameras for expression. An unsettling video has surfaced, showcasing this bot during its grand debut at Zhangjiang Robot Valley in Shanghai.
Moya is developed by a startup named DroidUP, and they claim she’s possibly the finest embodying “human aesthetics and advanced functions.” In a recent press release, they highlighted Moya’s ability to display a range of emotions—like joy and sadness—thanks to the cameras behind her eyes, as reported by Shanghai Media Group.
The bot is designed to be more relatable. There’s a moment in the footage where a reporter notes how Moya recognizes and interacts with her—when the reporter shifts her gaze, Moya’s eyes follow suit, creating an uncanny sense of connection.
Interestingly, Moya’s skin temperature ranges between 90°F and 97°F, mimicking human warmth. Although this might seem odd considering that DroidUP envisions her operating in busy environments like train stations and shopping malls, the company suggests she may also be involved in providing companionship one day.
Lee Qingdu, the founder of DroidUP, has commented, saying, “A truly helpful robot should have warmth, like a living creature with which humans can interact.” Moya’s design isn’t just about looks; she boasts a sophisticated walking platform that mimics human movement—her accuracy stands at about 92%. However, judging by the demo, her overall walking still appears a bit jerky, indicating that more work is needed.
Scheduled to launch in 2026 with a price tag of $176,000, Moya’s introduction has sparked mixed reactions within the tech community. Some are intrigued, yet many find her warm demeanor somewhat unsettling.
Technology journalist Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson pointed out that such warmth blurs the lines between machines and humans, leading to growing discomfort. He argued that bots shouldn’t need human-like traits to be effective or perform tasks. Furthermore, he expressed concerns about the potential implications of robots integrating into society, raising issues like consent and emotional manipulation.
This isn’t the first time a hyper-realistic humanoid robot has triggered these kinds of reactions. Just last year, a bipedal android that displayed remarkably human-like characteristics left viewers feeling uneasy and calling it “dystopian.”
In response to this trend, one observer mused, “Why is humanity heading toward self-destruction?” while another remarked that these advancements in robotics resemble what one might find in cautionary science fiction tales, albeit with a somewhat different lens.
