PrimeBOT Q1 and T1: What the September 2026 launch revealed

PrimeBOT’s September 20, 2026, Shanghai launch put two different takes on the personal robot up for sale: the foldable, customizable Q1 and the T1, which changes between a wheeled humanoid form and a four-legged form. Both started at RMB 19,999. PrimeBOT scheduled deliveries to begin October 1 in order of purchase—not on launch day. 2529

The “egg joint” behind the hardware pitch

PrimeBOT introduced a mass-produced quasi-direct-drive actuator it calls the “egg joint.” The company reported a diameter of 47 mm, a weight of 260 g and a peak torque density of 85 N·m/kg. It presented the compact joint and its force-control design as a way to make smaller robots lighter and more suitable for close interaction. Those specifications and benefits are reported company claims, not independently verified results for either finished robot. 3924

Q1: A foldable robot for customization and development

The Q1 stands 88 cm tall, weighs about 15 kg and has 22 degrees of freedom. PrimeBOT says it can fold to fit in a backpack. Its intended uses span companionship, learning, creative interaction and embodied-AI development rather than a promise to handle general household chores. 293010

Owners can customize exterior parts—including through 3D printing—as well as interactive movements, voice and personality. The RMB 26,999 Q1 Exploration Edition adds open SDK and HDK access, hardware expansion interfaces and development tools for building skills and modifying the platform. 3925

T1: A robot that changes form for following and filming

The T1 is about 100 cm tall and 16 kg in its upright configuration; its four-legged configuration is reported at 49.8 cm tall. PrimeBOT describes its wheeled humanoid form as suited to indoor movement and its quadruped form as suited to outdoor terrain. It is aimed at companionship, following users and autonomous filming, with more than 15 camera-movement templates advertised. 4323294

The RMB 29,999 T1 Pro adds an Nvidia Orin Nano processor and advertised features including 360-degree obstacle avoidance in both forms, low-battery return to charging, voice summons and follow-and-carry functions. It also opens interfaces for further development. These are announced features, not a guarantee of performance in every setting. 25

Orders, in-person demos and WorkBuddy

Preorders opened on August 23. Following the September 20 sales launch, PrimeBOT said it would fulfill orders sequentially from October 1. Its first authorized experience-store rollout covered Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Wuhan and Xi’an. 3925

PrimeBOT also announced that Q1 and T1 would connect to Tencent Cloud’s WorkBuddy assistant. The partnership is intended to bring cloud-based assistant functions to the robots’ physical interactions; announced examples include reminders, voice transcription and remote companionship. It does not, by itself, establish that either robot can perform unrestricted household work. 4127