Chinese embodied-AI startup Vbot used its keynote at the 2026 World Robot Conference (WRC) on August 19 to unveil ATOM, a 1.6-meter humanoid robot designed for living spaces, and opened pre-orders in personal, enterprise and developer editions.
31 Degrees Of Freedom In A Consumer-Friendly Body
ATOM stands 1.6 meters tall with extended arms and legs that give it an 80-centimeter single-arm operating radius, a 180-centimeter arm span and 95-centimeter legs. It carries 31 degrees of freedom across the body - two in the head, 14 in the arms, three in the waist and 12 in the legs - configured to allow versatile postures and bending, according to Zhao Zhelun, co-founder and product president at Vbot Power. Interaction runs through a facial screen and ear-based lighting effects, and the body is wrapped in fabric with noise-dampening soles designed to keep it quiet indoors.
Big Head EDU-W Wheel-Legged Robot Priced At 49,988 Yuan
Alongside ATOM, Vbot launched the Big Head EDU-W Wheel-Legged Edition at 49,988 yuan. The company said the wheel-legged variant reaches 2.5 meters per second - roughly 9 km/h - and delivers about 50% greater energy efficiency than the standard Big Head EDU under identical testing conditions. The Big Head, Big Head EDU and Big Head EDU-W now form Vbot's full quadruped family, with specialized guide-service and outdoor load-bearing quadrupeds slated for 2027.
Vbot Embodied Genome And Three Core Models
Vbot Power also introduced its Vbot Embodied Genome technology system and three core models, framing ATOM as a first-generation unit with deliveries targeted for the end of 2026. The company is applying paths validated on quadruped robots - including its consumer robot dog launched earlier this year - to a full humanoid form factor.
Backed By Fresh Capital And China's Consumer Push
The ATOM debut comes months after Vbot closed a $73 million Pre-A round and its first consumer quadruped delivery to Horizon Robotics founder Yu Kai, and it lands amid a broader Chinese humanoid pre-order wave alongside Xiaomi's Tieda humanoid.
Reporting based on coverage from Gasgoo Auto News and WRC 2026 exhibitor materials.