Nvidia's Humanoid Platform Adds Wuji Hands
The reference design reaches research labs from early 2027, with the first Unitree-based humanoids scheduled from late 2026.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Robotics
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Nvidia showed off a humanoid robot reference platform that uses hands from Chinese startup Wuji, appearing on a slide behind CEO Jensen Huang on Oct. 21. The platform is a showcase of a reference design, not a shipping consumer product; Nvidia's related Agile One SN hardware system is announced, and its first reference humanoid design was announced May 31 with mechanical hands from Sharpa.
Why it matters
Dexterous hands are one place Chinese companies are trying to differentiate in the humanoid robot race, while Nvidia's software and computing stack is positioned as the common layer across hardware partners. The reference-design approach lets a chipmaker like Nvidia shape which robot bodies and hands get paired with its tools.
The source gives no measured performance figures for the Wuji Hand 2 or the Agile One SN, so no benchmark comparison is available. The only stated timelines are scheduled delivery of the Unitree-based reference humanoid from late 2026 and likely use of the Agile One SN by research institutions such as Stanford and ETH Zurich in early 2027, both per Nvidia.
The players
Nvidia
Chipmaker whose Isaac robotics software and Jetson Thor computing platform underpin its humanoid reference designs.
Wuji
Chinese robotics startup founded in 2019 by Pan Yunzhe, whose Wuji Hand 2 was shown in Nvidia's presentation.
Agile Robots
German robotics company whose robot body forms the basis of Nvidia's Agile One SN humanoid hardware system.
Sharpa
Singapore-headquartered company, co-founded by David Li of Hesai, that supplies mechanical hands for Nvidia's first reference humanoid design.
Unitree
Robotics company whose robot body is used in Nvidia's first reference humanoid design.
The details
Nvidia's reference designs pair a robot body from a partner company with Nvidia's Isaac robotics software and Jetson Thor computing platform, which handle the robot's perception and control. The hands are a separate, specialized component: a humanoid's manipulation ability depends on how many degrees of freedom, or independent joint movements, its hand can produce. Xiaomi said its testing in a car factory found most tasks required only a specific range of movement, which suggests hand design is driven by task requirements rather than maximum dexterity.
Timeline
May 31: Nvidia announced its first reference humanoid design, using a Unitree body and Sharpa hands.
Oct. 21: The Wuji Hand 2 appeared on a slide behind Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in Berlin.
Late 2026: Scheduled delivery of the Unitree-based reference humanoid.
Early 2027: Research institutions such as Stanford and ETH Zurich can likely start using the Agile One SN system.
The Tech Race
Nvidia's first reference humanoid design, announced May 31, used Sharpa hands, and the Oct. 21 showcase of Wuji Hand 2 extends that approach by bringing a second hand supplier into the platform. Meta has also worked with Chinese startup Fourier on a humanoid prototype, according to The Information, placing Chinese hand and body makers at the center of multiple U.S. companies' robot efforts.
The source does not say when or at what price the Wuji Hand 2 or the Agile One SN will reach buyers beyond research institutions. Near-term access is limited to research labs and developers working with Nvidia's reference designs, with broader availability unannounced.
The takeaway
Watch whether the Unitree-based reference humanoid ships in late 2026 as scheduled, since that will show whether Nvidia's reference-design model reaches delivery on time. The early-2027 start of research use for the Agile One SN at Stanford and ETH Zurich is the next verifiable milestone.
What happens next
Research institutions such as Stanford and ETH Zurich are expected to begin using the Agile One SN system in early 2027, and the Unitree-based reference humanoid is scheduled for delivery from late 2026.
Further reading
For broader context on how these machines are being built, explore the Robotics section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CNBC.
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