Not Just a Gimmick: TORA One Wheeled Humanoid Robot Shines at Fair Plus 2025 with Real-World Applications in Subway Security and Automotive Assembly
47 Degrees of Freedom + Dexterous Hands – PaXini’s TORA One Makes a Strong Debut
From April 24 to 26, 2025, the Fair Plus 2025 Robotics Industry Expo took place at Halls 7–8 of the Shenzhen Futian Convention Center. Among the most talked-about humanoid robots on display was the next-generation TORA One, developed by PaXini Perception Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. During the event, PaXini’s Business Center Director Gu Hongkang sat down with Chen Lu, Editor-in-Chief of China Export Semiconductor Network, to discuss the robot’s design innovations, core technologies, and practical applications. TORA One exemplifies a turning point for China’s homegrown humanoid robots—from eye-catching prototypes to real-world performers.
I. A Wheeled Design That Tackles the “Deployment Anxiety” of Humanoid Robots
“We don’t build robots for showmanship—we want them to enter real scenarios and actually replace human labor,” Gu Hongkang emphasized at the start of the interview. He explained that PaXini adheres to an application-driven approach to technology, intentionally steering clear of flashy but impractical designs.
Unlike mainstream bipedal robots, the TORA One is built on a wheeled chassis, prioritizing safety, stability, and endurance. It runs continuously for up to eight hours on a single charge, significantly reducing maintenance needs. The strategic choice is clear: prioritize flexible and functional upper-body performance to unlock the most practical value of a humanoid robot.
While bipedal locomotion is a worthwhile research direction, Gu noted that wheeled mobility is better suited to the current demands of industrial and service environments.
Picture: Gu Hongkang of PaXini was interviewed by Chen Lu, editor-in-chief of China Exportsemi, at the Fairplus exhibition
II. 47 Degrees of Freedom: Truly Capable of Bending, Lifting, and Working
Whereas many humanoid robots focus on appearance and basic gestures, TORA One delivers real “muscle” through high degrees of freedom and an extensive working radius.
The robot features 47 active degrees of freedom, including independent motion in key joints such as the waist, shoulders, arms, neck—and its dexterous hands. Its reach has been finely tuned: it can bend to reach objects as low as 1.46 meters and interact with items as high as 1.86 meters when upright. It can even extend to shelves at 2.2 meters high—an agility that far surpasses most conventional industrial robotic arms.
This makes TORA One capable of a wide range of tasks—from picking and placing to material handling and operations in tight, complex spaces, such as plugging and unplugging connectors in EVs or automated labeling and packaging.
Pictured: PaXini's TORA one robot demonstrating its flexibility
III. World’s First Commercial Dexterous Hand with Vision + Tactile Sensing
Another standout innovation from PaXini is its self-developed “dual-modality dexterous hand,” which combines both vision and tactile sensing. This is among the world’s first commercial-grade humanoid robot hands to integrate multi-sensor fusion and real-time feedback control.
Each hand has 13 active degrees of freedom and contains 13 miniature air pump motors, enabling fine motor control and force regulation at the finger joints. Unlike traditional robotic grippers, this hand doesn’t just move—it senses:
Vision System: TORA One is equipped with seven cameras on its head, including three fisheye lenses and one depth camera. Additional imaging modules are located in its hands and feet.
Tactile Sensors: Each fingertip contains a tactile module, allowing the robot to perceive grip force, material softness, and surface texture in real time.
This “eye-hand coordination” gives TORA One near-human precision in tasks such as plugging, sorting, labeling, and customer guidance.
Picture: PaXini's visual + tactile dual-modal "dexterous hand" experience table
IV. Real-World Deployment in Factories, Subways, and EV Assembly Lines
TORA One has already proven its utility in several real-world deployments across key industries:
Industrial Manufacturing
In the often-overlooked “last mile” of factory automation, TORA One handles tasks like packaging, barcode scanning, labeling, and material transfer—streamlining operations and reducing labor demands.
New Energy Vehicle Assembly
EVs typically feature dense and intricate wiring harnesses, where plug-and-play tasks demand extreme precision. Traditionally reliant on skilled labor, this process is increasingly constrained by rising costs and workforce shortages. TORA One has successfully passed pilot trials at customer sites, demonstrating superior compliance control and flexible positioning compared to conventional robotic arms.
Urban Subway System
In a pilot deployment at a Chinese subway station, TORA One serves in public-facing roles such as security screening assistance and passenger inquiries. It integrates gesture expression, voice recognition, and interaction—making it one of the few humanoid robots actively deployed in urban public services.
A good robot should not remain a showroom exhibit—it should solve real problems in real environments.
V. Empowered by PaXini’s Proprietary Multimodal LLM “VTLA”: A Step Toward Embodied Intelligence
On the software side, PaXini has independently developed its own large multimodal model, VTLA, which integrates data from vision, audio, and tactile signals to extract actionable semantics. Combined with task control modules, it generates appropriate motion outputs.
This allows TORA One not only to execute pre-defined workflows but also to adapt dynamically to environmental changes—achieving a higher level of embodied intelligence.
“We’re not just building a robot with a human-like shape—we aim to create a truly human-like system capable of physical interaction and intelligent perception,” said Gu.
VI. From “Human-Like” to “Hard-Working”: China’s Humanoid Robots Step into Reality
Founded on June 29, 2021, PaXini Perception Technology is one of China’s earliest robotics startups focusing on embodied intelligence. Its core team hails from Waseda University in Japan, with deep expertise in humanoid robots and dexterous hands.
The unveiling of TORA One is more than a technical showcase—it marks a significant step forward in the practical rollout of Chinese-made humanoid robots. From factory floors to subway stations, from service roles to industrial tasks, PaXini has provided compelling proof that humanoid robots are not just gimmicks.
Special Report by Fair Plus 2025
This article is an original work by the Yeehai Global Institute / China Exportsemi. Unauthorized reproduction or adaptation is prohibited. For reprint or collaboration inquiries, please contact: china.exportsemi@ehaitech.com.
