Guangdong's Topstar enters humanoid robot market with first launch "Xiao Tuo"

Guangdong-based robotics leader Topstar unveiled its first humanoid robot, "Xiao Tuo," at the company’s 2025 Global Open Day on September 12, marking a significant step for both the firm and Guangdong’s robotics industry. The event, attended by over 1,000 industry professionals from across the country, highlighted the industry's interest in Topstar's latest move.

Photo of "Xiao Tuo"

"Xiao Tuo," a wheeled humanoid robot, is designed for industrial applications, particularly on injection molding production lines. It can perform simple, repetitive tasks such as sorting, tray loading, material handling, and screw assembly. Powered by a self-developed AI large model with 3,352 TOPS computing capacity, "Xiao Tuo" can reason through complex tasks and adapt to real factory environments, achieving full automation from inspection to operation.

Notably, the robot features a modular design: its body and arms are fully detachable. It can separate at the waist to function as a humanoid robot, while each arm can operate independently as a humanoid robotic arm.

The launch event of "Xiao Tuo"

Industry experts at the event emphasized the broader implications for Guangdong’s robotics sector. Dr. Zhuang Ruiyan, AI chief scientist at the Greater Bay Area National Center of Technology Innovation, described AI-driven robots as a "new productive force" in manufacturing, propelling Guangdong and China as a whole toward higher efficiency and smarter operations.

Guangdong, home to China’s largest and most comprehensive industrial robotics cluster, continues to support local firms in turning AI research into practical manufacturing applications. Companies such as Leju Robot have delivered their 100th full-size humanoid robot to Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd. (BAIC), while UBTECH’s Walker S series industrial humanoid robots are already deployed for factory training at Geely, BYD, Foxconn, and SF Express.

In 2024, Guangdong produced 240,000 industrial robots, maintaining its top position in China for the fifth consecutive year, with 31.2% year-on-year growth and over 40% of the nation’s total output. This means that more than one in every three industrial robots in China is now made in Guangdong. Globally, around 38% of humanoid robot supply chain companies are based in China, with roughly 57% concentrated in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Visitors tried controlling "Xiao Tuo" using VR and a handheld controller.

These figures and real-world deployments underline Guangdong’s robust manufacturing ecosystem, which provides fertile ground for innovation. Topstar’s "Xiao Tuo" exemplifies how Guangdong companies are translating cutting-edge AI and robotics research into practical, industrially viable solutions. The robot not only represents a milestone for Topstar but also highlights Guangdong’s pivotal role in shaping the future of China’s and the world’s robotics industry.

Reporter | Li Muzi

Photo | Topstar

Video | Topstar

Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He