Overview

Nova is the new robot from Tokyo-based company ugo and was unveiled on September 16, 2026. ugo calls it a semi-humanoid itself: two arms on top, a mobile torso and a head, a wheeled base instead of legs on the bottom. It is designed and manufactured entirely in Japan. Series production is set to begin in 2027, and the manufacturer has not yet announced a price.

Design

The base rolls on four Mecanum wheels, allowing it to move in any direction without turning. Mounted above is a torso that can rotate, bend, and lift up to 35 centimeters, giving the robot an overall height ranging from 126 to 162 centimeters. The two arms, each with seven joints, reach 84 centimeters and end in two-finger grippers. Together they can carry up to ten kilograms. At around 100 kilograms, Nova is no lightweight, but it stands stably. The design comes from the design studio GK Kyoto.

Technology and AI

An NVIDIA Jetson Thor serves as the computer. A stereo camera in the head and one camera on each hand provide the visual input; a display is mounted in the face. The lithium iron phosphate battery provides around six hours of operation and can be fully recharged in approximately two and a half hours. Nova is also controlled remotely, either via a VR headset or via bilateral control provided by partner Asratec. This serves a purpose: the recorded movements are intended to serve as training data for AI models that can later operate without an operator.

Market Significance

Nova is part of a government program. Within the framework of a NEDO project, the AIRoA association has proposed it as a common platform for a national competition to develop universal robots. Japan is attempting to build its own data foundation for Physical AI, rather than relying on hardware from China. Whether Nova gains traction in factories beyond research will be seen at the earliest with the 2027 series.