“We believe that the source of the development of intelligent robots is the advancement of AI, so from the first day of our startup, we set a clear goal: to create ‘robots designed for AI.'”
Recently, in the laboratory on the 41st floor of the Shenzhen Bay Technology Eco-Park,
Fang Ke, co-founder of Stardust Intelligence,
showed reporters the first generation AI robot, Astribot S1.
This robot features the industry’s first integrated hardware and software system architecture designed for AI,
and incorporates the world’s first innovative soft-hard coupling transmission system.
Under the VR remote control of the staff,
the robot repeatedly practices
actions such as wiping tables, sweeping trash,
and organizing dishes with precision.
This AI robot not only has an intelligent “brain”
but also a flexible “body.”
“The integration of robots and AI
is a once-in-50-years opportunity”
In 2022, for Lai Jie, the founder of Stardust Intelligence, it marked a significant turning point in his career. He and his colleague Dai Yuan decided to leave Tencent’s robotics lab to start their own business.
As early as 2014, Lai Jie began to delve into the research of AI and robotics, working for major tech companies like Baidu and Tencent. During this time, he not only participated in the technical development of Baidu’s Xiaodu robot and Tencent’s Robotics X but also quietly studied the development history of the PC industry. Lai Jie discovered that just as the rise of the PC industry was the result of a deep integration of hardware and software, the fusion of robots and AI would also usher in a technological revolution, a “once-in-50-years” opportunity, which became the driving force behind his entrepreneurial journey.
On December 5, 2022, Stardust Intelligence was officially established. Since then, Lai Jie and his team have been committed to creating robots that are closer to human forms, with fine motor control capabilities and efficient tactile feedback systems, guided by the design philosophy of “Design for AI.”
“The source of the development of AI robots is the progress of AI, but the key nature of its development is the deep integration of AI and robotics,” Lai Jie said. The vision of Stardust is to create a “new generation” of AI robots that can enter every household.
Months of Continuous Work
Conquering the “Rope Drive Technology” Challenge
In August 2024, Stardust Intelligence launched the first generation AI robot, Astribot S1, which achieved a deep coupling of “AI intelligence” and “strongest operation,” making a key breakthrough in embodied intelligent data acquisition, allowing the robot to learn, think, and work like humans, interact intelligently and smoothly with people, use human tools and devices, and help people complete tedious, difficult, or dangerous tasks, establishing a unique technological advantage.
“Technology is not achieved in one step, but is a gradual development process,” Fang Ke said. Before the launch of S1, the team explored various solutions on how to create a robot that could safely interact with humans and complete various tasks like a human. Ultimately, they firmly chose the “rope drive technology” route, which had almost no market precedent in the country.
“Rope drive technology employs an innovative rope drive design in key parts of the robot, closely mimicking human muscles and force application, making the robot’s performance faster, smoother, and safer,” Fang Ke said. “This technology is a global first, from the underlying materials to the overall design, from algorithm development to supply chain integration, all of which we researched ourselves.”
During this period, the R&D team worked overtime for several months, staying up late to finish work at night and debugging during the day; if debugging failed, they would redo and optimize at night… In this way, the R&D team rotated daily, investing high intensity, ultimately conquering the “rope drive” challenge. Although the process was difficult, this achievement laid the technical foundation and core advantage of Stardust’s embodied intelligence.
“In a 100-meter sprint,
we have only run 5 meters”
Ultimately, Stardust created an AI robot assistant that deeply integrates artificial intelligence and robotics technology, gradually achieving general intelligence through continuous enhancement of intelligence and multi-task generalization capabilities; the company has also expanded from an initial team of 6 to over 100 people, with ongoing growth, over 80% of whom are technical personnel.
“Currently, the market demand exceeds supply, and the demand for AI robots far exceeds supply. Our new generation S1 will achieve mass production of hundreds of units this year,” Fang Ke said. “There is a great opportunity for robots in the future; in a vast arena, it’s like in a 100-meter sprint, we have only run 5 meters, and the development of robots has just begun.”
In the future, the company will continue to improve products and technology, focusing on developing “better hands” and “more sensitive touch” in hardware; in AI, it will continue to optimize its self-developed end-to-end large model, ultimately building a world model that can collect data, understand data, and successfully feedback interaction results.
The name Stardust Intelligence comes from an ancient Latin proverb, meaning “to traverse the bitter journey to reach the stardust.” Lai Jie stated that bringing AI robots into every household will require 5 to 10 years of effort, and he hopes to collaborate with industry partners to turn the dream of AI robots into reality.
The Shenzhen Special Zone Daily recently launched a series of reports titled “Innovative Entrepreneurs from Shenzhen”
telling the stories of innovative entrepreneurs in Shenzhen.
Our reports will continue, and we look forward to your stories.
Tell us about you and the innovative entrepreneurs around you.
Contact InformationBriefly describe your basic situation of innovation and entrepreneurship in Shenzhen and attach your contact information.
- Send to email [email protected]
- Leave a message under the solicitation post and related reports
The Shenzhen Special Zone Daily will arrange reporters to interview and report on qualified leads.
Written by | Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reporter Zhou Yumeng
Images, videos | Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reporter Pan Kang
Edited by | Ouyang Chenyu
Reviewed by | Wu Jianlin, Li Lu, Chen Chen