Chinese startup SPEEDBOT unveils W1, a bipedal humanoid welder headed to real shipyards by end of 2026
CyberRobooo · x · 2026-11-07
SPEEDBOT, a shipbuilding automation company in Changsha, China, introduced W1 (Weldroid-W1), a full-size bipedal humanoid welder: 1.7 m tall, 60 kg, 27 degrees of freedom, 30 kg payload, capable of flat, vertical and overhead welding in cramped shipyard compartments.
- Powered by SPEEDBOT's K-WORLD physical AI model, combining LiDAR, ToF cameras and 3D vision to locate weld seams, with a classic S2–S1–S0 three-layer control architecture.
- Still a demonstration; real-world trials at a major Chinese shipyard are planned by the end of 2026.
- SPEEDBOT already serves China State Shipbuilding, COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry and China Merchants Industry, giving W1 a ready path to scale if trials succeed.
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