It’s no secret that virtual companions have become all the rage lately, attracting people who like them for their empathy, positive comments, helpful suggestions and non-judgmental nature. But translating that to an emerging world of embodied robots has proven much more challenging, requiring far more complex physical reactions in the real world than simple words and images on a screen.
Despite that, Ubtech Robotics Corp. Ltd. (9880.HK) made a splash this week by saying it could overcome such issues with its series of UWorld U1 life-sized humanoid robots. The products immediately caught the attention of investors, who bid up Ubtech’s shares as much as 18% the day of the announcement, before the stock closed up 7.5%.