Chinese collaborative-robot pioneer JAKA Robotics has stepped into the humanoid arena with JAKA Pi, a 1.22-meter compact humanoid built for research labs and light service work — a notable shift for a company best known for industrial cobot arms.
A compact bet on service robotics
At 1.22 meters, JAKA Pi is deliberately smaller than the full-size machines dominating headlines. That sizing targets indoor service and research scenarios where a lighter, safer platform is easier to deploy. It positions JAKA against humanoid players such as Unitree Robotics and Boston Dynamics. For the full landscape, see our humanoid robots hub and the broader robotics coverage.
How it fits the 2026 humanoid wave
JAKA Pi arrives in a crowded year. Recent milestones include Atlas showcasing industrial capabilities at CES 2026, 1X opening its NEO humanoid factory in California, and Apptronik's $520M raise for its Apollo humanoid. JAKA's cobot heritage could give it an edge on safe human-robot collaboration.