- Changes
- 3
- Tracking since
- Oct 2025
- Latest
- Feb 16, 2026
- Net movement
- Classification stable
- 2026
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Noetix Bumi performs alongside human actors at China's 2026 Spring Festival Gala
Noetix's Bumi humanoid appeared in the comedy sketch Grandma's Favorite at China's Spring Festival Gala on February 16, 2026, alongside sibling models N2 and E1 and a custom bionic humanoid.
Full assessment
AutonomyL2 unchangedReadinessPromising progress heldScoreScores unchangedThe broadcast, watched by hundreds of millions, drove a documented consumer order surge that pushed some delivery dates from early March to late April.
WatchingWhether Noetix meets the resulting demand without added shipment delays.
Impact on autonomy
- Performance was a choreographed stage routine, not autonomous decision making
- Demonstrated dynamic balance across flips and stunts in a small stage area
Impact on readiness
- National broadcast exposure drove a documented consumer order surge on JD.com
- Delivery timelines for some orders pushed from early March into late April
Claim check3 claims reviewed
Gala routine showcases advanced humanoid autonomyCoverage described the performance as a routine prepared for broadcast; no independent evidence that the moves reflect autonomous, real time decision making has been publishedOverwhelming demand proves Bumi is ready for householdsReported order surge pushed delivery dates from an earlier March 1 target to late April 2026, indicating fulfillment capacity had not kept pace with demandChina's robotics champions performed live and unscriptedThe sketch Grandma's Favorite was a produced stage segment with human actors; robot movements were prepared in advance for the broadcastTechnical notes3 sections
- The Performance
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Bumi appeared alongside sibling Noetix models N2 and E1, plus a custom built bionic humanoid, in the comedy sketch Grandma’s Favorite on China’s Spring Festival Gala broadcast on February 16, 2026. Coverage described the robots performing side flips, backflips, and other stunts within a roughly 12 square meter stage area alongside human actors.
- Audience and Commercial Response
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The Gala is China’s most watched annual broadcast; 2026 coverage reported viewership figures in the billions across platforms. South China Morning Post reported that interest in Bumi spiked after the broadcast, with thousands of units added to shopping carts on JD.com, and that delivery for some orders was pushed back from an earlier March 1 target to late April 2026.
- What The Performance Does Not Establish
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News coverage characterized the routine as a prepared broadcast segment rather than an unscripted demonstration. No manufacturer or third party documentation has described the underlying motion control as autonomous rather than pre-programmed for the stage.
- 2025
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Noetix secures 1,000 unit Bumi order in HCR AI integration deal
Shanghai listed data analytics company HCR ordered 1,000 Bumi units and agreed to integrate its AI software into the robot for elder care and education use, Noetix said in mid December 2025.
Full assessment
AutonomyL2 unchangedReadinessPromising progress heldScoreScores unchangedThe deal is Noetix's largest disclosed commercial order to date, pairing Bumi's hardware with a third party AI layer.
WatchingWhether that software ships broadly or stays limited to this pilot.
Impact on autonomy
- Deal adds a third party AI software layer, not a hardware or firmware change
- No independent verification yet that HCR's software alters autonomous task completion
Impact on readiness
- Order signals commercial demand beyond individual consumer preorders into institutional buyers
- Deployment for elder care and education use has not yet been documented publicly
Claim check3 claims reviewed
Bumi brings AI powered elder care and education to householdsHCR's software is a separate proprietary layer integrated for this specific 1,000 unit deal; standard consumer units are not described as including itThousands of orders since launchCompany reported figure spanning preorder, wholesale, and partnership channels combined; independently verified shipped unit counts have not been publishedNew AI mind unlocks companion capabilityNo independent demonstration of the integrated system's task completion has been published; the announcement describes a commercial agreement, not a documented capability testTechnical notes3 sections
- Deal Structure
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Noetix Robotics said HCR (Huichen), a Shanghai listed data analytics company, ordered 1,000 Bumi units and will integrate its HCR X AI software into the Bumi hardware platform. Noetix described the arrangement as pairing the robot’s physical body with HCR’s proprietary AI layer for elder care and education applications.
- Commercial Context
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Noetix’s chief financial officer said the company had accumulated thousands of orders across preorder, wholesale, and partnership channels since Bumi’s October 2025 launch, without breaking the total down by channel. The HCR order was described as the company’s largest single disclosed commercial order at the time.
- What Is Not Yet Documented
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Neither company published technical detail on how HCR’s software integrates with Bumi’s onboard motion control, or whether the integration required firmware changes. No independent report has verified elder care or education deployments resulting from the deal.
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Noetix Robotics unveils Bumi, a humanoid robot priced under $1,400
Noetix Robotics announced Bumi, a 94 centimeter humanoid priced at 9,998 yuan (about $1,370), the first bipedal humanoid publicly reported under China's 10,000 yuan threshold.
Full assessment
AutonomyL2 unchangedReadinessPromising progress heldScoreScores unchangedThe price positions Bumi well below other consumer oriented humanoid robots on the market at the time, without matching their capability claims.
WatchingWhether the company can sustain that price at volume once preorders convert to shipped units.
Impact on autonomy
- Manufacturer specs list over 21 degrees of freedom for bipedal walking and gestures
- No independent verification yet of autonomous navigation or obstacle handling capability
Impact on readiness
- Consumer preorder window announced for the Double 11 and Double 12 shopping festivals
- Price positions Bumi for hobbyist and household buyers, not research labs
Claim check3 claims reviewed
Described in press coverage as the world's cheapest humanoid robotReflects Noetix's own pricing announcement at the time; no independent audit of the full global humanoid market has been publishedReady for family and home useInitial sales and shipping were limited to mainland China through JD.com; no international retail channel existed at announcementPerforms complex movements including dancingDemonstrated via manufacturer video and launch footage; independent third party testing of autonomy or reliability has not been publishedTechnical notes3 sections
- Specifications
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Noetix listed Bumi at approximately 94 cm tall and 12 kg, with more than 21 degrees of freedom for bipedal walking and upper body gestures. The company said Bumi uses a self-developed motion control system, lightweight composite materials, and an open programming interface intended for education and hobbyist use.
- Pricing and Availability
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Bumi was priced at 9,998 yuan, about $1,370 at the time, positioned by Noetix as the first commercially announced bipedal humanoid under China’s 10,000 yuan threshold. Noetix said preorders would open between the Double 11 (November) and Double 12 (December) shopping festivals, with sales initially limited to mainland China through JD.com.
- Context
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The announcement followed a wave of Chinese humanoid robot ventures competing on price and accessibility. Coverage described Bumi as priced well below other consumer oriented humanoids on the market at the time, positioning it as a lower cost entry point for classrooms and households rather than research labs.