By Harshit, BEIJING, November 3, 2025
China’s robotics industry took a major leap forward this week as PL-Universe Robotics unveiled its next-generation automation technologies — the ProWhite Robot 2.0 and PL-WitHand, a tactile robotic hand with near-human precision. The launch event, held at JD.com’s headquarters in the Yizhuang district of Beijing, drew industry leaders from across China’s tech, manufacturing, and semiconductor sectors.
With the theme “The Scene is the Key,” the event marked PL-Universe’s first public robotics product launch, positioning the firm as one of China’s most promising players in the era of embodied intelligence. Alongside the product debut, the company announced an exclusive global online sales partnership with JD.com, underscoring its ambition to expand Chinese robotics innovation into international markets.
A Defining Moment for China’s Smart Manufacturing Push
The event — titled “Robotics 2025 Launch & JD.com Deep Collaboration Inauguration” — aligned closely with Beijing’s national strategy to accelerate intelligent manufacturing. Over a hundred experts and executives from consumer electronics, automotive, and semiconductor sectors attended the launch, reflecting the growing synergy between industrial demand and technical innovation.
PL-Universe’s engineers described the ProWhite Robot 2.0 as a system designed around ultra-high precision, flexible adaptability, and process efficiency. The robot’s modular end-effectors perform complex industrial tasks — from locking and soldering to dispensing and oiling — while maintaining real-time tracking and feedback control. The design embodies PL-Universe’s philosophy: prioritizing practical industrial performance over theoretical specifications.
PL-WitHand: Human-Like Dexterity in a Machine
The showstopper of the launch was undoubtedly the PL-WitHand, a dexterous robotic hand that merges tendon-linkage mechanics with a hybrid-driven architecture to deliver 20 degrees of freedom — a significant leap toward human-like dexterity.
Central to the innovation is ProxiGrasp, PL-Universe’s proprietary algorithm that allows the hand to handle delicate and complex assembly work. Demonstrations included tasks such as assembling micro-components and manipulating fragile objects with precision previously unseen in industrial robotics.
Industry analysts said the design reflects China’s national mission of intelligent manufacturing — enhancing the sophistication of robotics to support next-generation industrial upgrades.
Partnership with JD.com Expands Global Reach
A key highlight of the week’s announcements was the deepening of PL-Universe’s strategic collaboration with JD.com, one of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms. The partnership covers global distribution, maintenance support, and post-sale industrial services, ensuring buyers not only access the hardware but also benefit from end-to-end technical expertise through JD.com’s global network.
Executives from both firms said the partnership demonstrates China’s growing confidence in exporting advanced robotics technologies. By linking an AI-driven robotics manufacturer with a digital commerce powerhouse, the initiative aims to reshape cross-border industrial trade in the era of smart automation.
Craftsmanship Meets Code: The “Craftsmanship Universe” Initiative
PL-Universe also unveiled a cultural and technological program called the “Craftsmanship Universe Initiative.” The project seeks to digitally preserve traditional craftsmanship by translating human skills — such as precise hand movements — into programmable robotic motions.
The company said the goal is to ensure that automation evolves without losing its human touch, creating machines that “think and move” with sensitivity and purpose rather than mere repetition.
Aligned with National Policy and Industrial Strategy
China’s industrial policy places robotics innovation and intelligent equipment at the heart of its manufacturing modernization plan. PL-Universe’s breakthroughs — particularly in embodied intelligence and flexible automation systems — are viewed as examples of how national directives are taking shape in real-world production.
Experts at the launch noted that the ProWhite Robot 2.0 and PL-WitHand exemplify how Chinese robotics firms are building competitiveness through sensor integration, adaptive AI algorithms, and data-driven decision-making.
Toward Humanized Automation
Beyond engineering prowess, much of the discussion this week focused on the social implications of automation. Speakers emphasized how embodied intelligence can complement rather than replace human labor — improving safety, reducing repetitive strain, and enabling greater creativity in industrial design.
PL-Universe’s executives described their vision of a “human-centered robotics future,” where precision, empathy, and adaptability coexist within mechanical systems.
A Global Future for Chinese Robotics
As the event concluded, enthusiasm was high among participants who saw the launch as more than a product release — a declaration of China’s readiness to lead globally in robotics innovation.
With ProWhite Robot 2.0, PL-WitHand, and its JD.com global alliance, PL-Universe has positioned itself as a standard-bearer for China’s next wave of intelligent manufacturing — one where innovation remains both technological and profoundly human.