Consumer soft robotics company SoulX, under Shenzhen Honghuo Intelligent Technology, has completed an angel round of tens of millions of RMB led by Hillhouse Ventures, with Xiangyang Capital as exclusive financial advisor. Funds will be used for product iteration, R&D, and supply chain and delivery system construction.
Founder and CEO Zheng Qian, with a background in neural science at Zhejiang University and exoskeleton/BCI expertise from HIT, assembled an interdisciplinary team spanning industrial and medical rehabilitation soft robotics, brain-computer interfaces, emotional AI, flexible electronics, automotive smart cabin supply chain, and design.
The first product, MoYa, is a sleep-soothing companion robot for the bedroom. Instead of motors, it uses a proprietary soft pneumatic system to simulate hugs and gentle pats via inflatable chambers that respond to user pressure. No cameras; all computing in the cloud. It deliberately strips out music, smart home controls, and entertainment to focus purely on tactile comfort and conversation.
Key features include passive trigger interaction (responds only when touched or spoken to), respiratory synchronization that adjusts patting rhythm to match breathing, tactile sensor arrays across chest and back for closed-loop pressure control, near-silent pneumatic operation, and an Agent Harness for long-term memory and emotional context awareness.
In seed user testing over two weeks, users averaged 3-4 hug/rhythm-soothing interactions per day. 70% reported easier relaxation; 60% reported improved sleep security and bedtime comfort. The first batch targets approximately 3,000 units with a North America-first launch planned for H2 2026, priced to be accessible for mainstream consumers.
MoYa represents a shift in consumer robotics - not chasing more intelligence or mobility, but designing for presence, trust, and the simple human need to be held.
