Chinese technology giant Xiaomi has unveiled one of its most unusual robotic innovations yet: a humanoid robot capable of “sweating.” The feature, integrated into the latest version of its humanoid robot CyberOne, is not designed for realism alone but to solve one of robotics’ biggest engineering challenges — overheating.
Recent reports from European technology outlets and international engineering publications describe the development as a significant step toward creating robots capable of sustained industrial work with human-level dexterity and endurance.
The new robotic hand replicates human sweat glands through a liquid-cooling system embedded inside the structure. Instead of perspiration for thermoregulation as in humans, the robot circulates coolant through 3D-printed metal channels, allowing heat generated by motors to dissipate through evaporation.
Engineers developed the system after identifying overheating as a major limitation in advanced robotic hands, where compact motors generate significant thermal stress during repetitive tasks. The artificial sweating mechanism can dissipate roughly 10 watts of heat, enabling longer operating periods without performance loss.
According to technical analyses, this bio-inspired cooling allows the robot to maintain stability during demanding industrial operations — something traditional robotic hands struggle to achiev
Unlike experimental humanoids built mainly for demonstrations, CyberOne is being tested for practical use. Xiaomi has already trialed humanoid robots inside electric-vehicle production facilities, where they perform tasks such as tightening bolts and moving materials along assembly lines.
Early tests show promising results: the upgraded robotic hand achieved a 90.2% success rate in assembly operations over three hours of continuous work cycles.
The goal is to create machines capable of working alongside humans using the same tools and workflows, reducing the need for specialized industrial setups.
The redesign goes beyond cooling. Xiaomi reduced the hand’s volume by about 60%, bringing it to a 1:1 scale with a human hand modeled on a person approximately 1.73 meters tall.
This change improves what engineers call “sim-to-real transfer,” allowing movements learned in digital simulations to translate more accurately into physical actions. The hand now features:
- Up to 83% greater freedom of movement
- Full-palm tactile sensing covering roughly 8,200 mm²
- Pressure detection across fingers and palm
- Durability exceeding 150,000 grasp cycles, far beyond typical robotic hands
These upgrades allow the robot to manipulate fragile or irregular objects and adjust grip dynamically — capabilities long considered one of robotics’ hardest problems.
Why make robots sweat?
Experts say the innovation highlights a growing trend in robotics: biomimicry. Instead of designing machines purely around mechanical efficiency, engineers increasingly borrow solutions from biology.
Humans regulate temperature efficiently through sweating; applying the same principle allows robots to manage dense electronics packed into small spaces. Without thermal regulation, performance drops rapidly and components degrade faster.
The sweating system therefore represents less a cosmetic feature and more a functional breakthrough aimed at continuous industrial deployment.
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