Yuanqidian: How a premium-priced bionic torso became an ideal starting point for a humanoid-robot startup?
In the embodied-AI arena of 2025, “mass-producing humanoid robots and driving down exoskeleton costs” has become an industry consensus. Solid hardware doesn’t happen overnight—it requires patient upfront investment and sustained funding. In this episode, we take a precise look at the hard-tech startup Yuanqidian (YQD) and its no-nonsense roadmap: “building the dream with a bionic torso, and building the business with joint modules.”
Warming Up: Why a Fully 3D-Printed “Bio-Inspired Trunk” Is Setting the Show Abuzz?
At the recently viral “JiaDian” expo, a black trunk structural frame presented by YuanQiDian quickly drew crowds of on-site geeks and investors. This is not a mature, mass-ready consumer-grade exoskeleton, but rather a “bio-mimicry trunk (Android)” concept prototype designed from the ground up over four full months, then fully 3D-printed over two months.
Liu Yumeng, as one of YuanQiDian’s core founders, for the first time fully disclosed to the public the underlying rationale behind this structural piece.
Structure Analysis: Deconstructing the Bionic Torso and Nakedly Restoring the Deep Muscles of the Human Body
Liu Yumeng deconstructed the internal structure of this concept device on-site: this torso is not a traditional rigid-link exoskeleton, but rather an innovative attempt that starts from the ground up, precisely simulating human anatomical structures.
When we peel back the various internal wire-driven structures, we find that its physical construction exudes a strong bioengineering aesthetic:
- Black wire zone: Precisely simulating the multifidus muscles within the deep back muscle groups;
- Blue wire zone: Replicating the erector spinae muscles within the deep back muscle groups.
To achieve an extremely high degree of restoration of joint torque, this wire-driven structure abandons the traditional heavy reducers and motor stacks found in exoskeletons. Insiders revealed that the entire torso mechanism is fabricated using a fully 3D-printing process, and even soft tissue structures such as artificial intervertebral discs were hand-stacked bit by bit by the team using 3D printing pens.
“Although repeated validation suggests this purely wire-driven structure might ‘not even be able to move at all,’ it serves as a highly pioneering physical coordinate—it defines the absolute ultimate anatomical form we aim to achieve in the field of bionic humanoids.”—Liu Yumeng admitted in the video.
Founding Story: "2 Hours to Pitch a Big Swing"
Although the "bionic torso" may currently resemble an advanced lab benchmark, it served as the genesis of their entire founding story.
"I brought this torso to the JiaDian exhibition and ran into Li Wenze, who is now our project lead. Before that, almost no one had seen a framework so radically detached from conventional robotics," Liu Yumeng recalled.
"He was completely stunned when he saw the structure. He just looked at me and asked: 'Wanna team up to do something huge?'"
From the initial encounter to the final handshake, it took the two just two hours to lock in their partnership. In Liu Yumeng's view, this kind of "kindred spirits" technical synergy is a scarce resource far more elusive than funding for a team navigating the harsh winter of hard tech entrepreneurship.
The Strategic Core: How exoskeleton (Wai Gu Jia) Can Sustain Humanoid Robots?
Not only did the "bionic torso" attract two tech geeks, but the platform ecosystem associated with JiaDian also keenly recognized this explosive potential startup project, providing "Yuan Qi Dian" with support in venues, supply chains, and industrial resources.
Facing the ultimate industry challenge of "long development cycles and rapid cash burn" for humanoid robots, "Yuan Qi Dian" has unveiled a highly pragmatic commercialization strategy:
"Between October and November this year, the company will officially launch sales of the first batch of joint modules. These joint modules will initially serve as the primary cash flow business for product lines such as exoskeleton (Wai Gu Jia), thereby feeding and sustaining our humanoid robot R&D. We must survive first before we can pursue greater dreams." — Liu Yumeng
This strategy actually aligns with the industry's current cost-reduction logic of "feeding humanoid robots through exoskeleton manufacturing." As an "initial cash flow driver," consumer-grade exoskeleton can effectively amortize the R&D and tooling costs of core joint hardware, creating a closed commercial loop.
The R&D Quagmire: Why do hardware startups inevitably fall into the "Pantone" dilemma?
When it comes to the hardware R&D of exoskeletons and robots, the media often tends to over-mythologize concepts while masking the real pain points on the production line.
When asked about the biggest sticking point in the current R&D process, Liu Yumeng frankly admitted that poor physical assembly craftsmanship is the most headache-inducing quagmire. Due to the lack of mature automated assembly lines, developers often face catastrophic chaos when wiring inside humanoid robotics.
"Some cables in certain areas require engineers to use files to manually shape and polish them little by little. When threading the cables, the entire interior of the machine becomes as messy as a pool of muddy water. Escaping from such an appalling, high-energy-consuming state—so chaotic it resembles a 'Pantone color card'—relies entirely on engineers meticulously polishing and refining the components over and over again."
This is a true reflection of most emerging humanoid robotics startups today: the hardware structures can be designed as futuristic as concept cars, but once they enter actual assembly stations, the challenges of cost control and tolerance alignment will rise exponentially.
Team Recruitment: Seeking Visionary Trailblazers with Shared Principles
After navigating the structural validation phase from blueprints to 3D printing, and enduring the struggles of functional part assembly, "Yuanqi Dian" has clearly realized that passion alone is far from enough. Their current core objective is to seek out trailblazers equipped with robust engineering and practical execution capabilities.
"We need more like-minded individuals with core technical expertise to join us. This is not just about finding a job, but about collectively driving our shared goals forward." Liu Yumeng issued this geek recruitment call to the entire internet at the end of the video. It is reported that the team is actively hiring engineers specializing in mechanical and electrical control, compliant actuation, and advanced mechanical structures. The salaries are on par with tech giants, but the demands are exceptionally high.
"There are no shortcuts in entrepreneurship. Even when facing painful moments that feel like sinking into a quagmire, you must persevere. Only by holding on can you achieve what others might deem impossible." — Liu Yumeng
Industry Perspective Summary: Embodied AI in 2025 Needs More Pragmatic Cold Starts
As observed by professional media, this interview with Yuanqidian not only showcases a novelly structured 3D-printed torso, but also reflects the pragmatic shift of Chinese embodied AI startups in 2025.
From promising bionic torso concepts to grounded sales of joint-motor modules, and ultimately a return to humanoid robots, the survival logic of this supply chain is becoming increasingly clear. To stand out in the "Hundred Robots War", simply relying on burning cash to build dreams is outdated. Building the capacity to generate revenue through products like consumer-grade exoskeletons is becoming the consensus among top-tier teams.
Image of an advanced robotics laboratory
Image of a 3D-printed bionic torso
Top Community Comments
@Reader (0 likes): Arriving [call][like][sparkly eyes]
Interpretation: Shows the built-in attention and fan effect from digital/exoskeleton enthusiasts when a hardcore geek team appears—this audience is the core base for early-stage concept products.
@Reader (0 likes): If you're interested, you can check it out for more details.
Interpretation: This comment is a standout footnote for this video. As a seasoned industry insider, it directly points viewers toward the predecessor brand ecosystem behind the project, and indirectly underscores the irreplaceable hub value of industry enablement platforms in incubating and connecting startup teams.
One-Sentence Summary
"Use a stationary 3D-printed bionic torso as a coordinate system, leverage consumer-grade exoskeleton products (such as Wai Gu Jia) to generate early cash flow, then persistently pursue the ultimate dream of humanoid robots." — This represents not only the core logic of Yuanqidian, but also the most valuable cost-reduction benchmark in China's domestic embodied AI startup arena today.
