ETH Zurich students build ‘first Swiss humanoid’, eye fundraising
ETH Robotics Club president Declan Shine wants his human-like bot to be a ‘lighter, friendlier and squishier’ home robot than rivals
What happened
Students at ETH Zurich have developed Xalun, which they describe as a "100% Swiss-made humanoid robot". This creation is intended to eventually compete with prominent industry names.
The robot stands 1.3 metres tall and has a weight of 48kg. It is being presented as Switzerland's inaugural humanoid robot.
Who's behind it
The project is spearheaded by Declan Shine, the 26-year-old president of the ETH Robotics Club. The development team consists of students from the Swiss university ETH Zurich.
Why it matters
The developers envision Xalun as a more approachable home robot, aiming for a "lighter, friendlier and squishier" design compared to existing competitors.
They aspire for their robot to challenge established players in the field, including Boston Dynamics, 1X, and Agility, by offering a distinct user experience for household tasks.
What to watch
The team is actively pursuing fundraising efforts to support the robot's continued development.
Future plans include establishing a company within Switzerland to further advance the project and scale operations, with an emphasis on expanding the team and securing investment.
AI-assisted reporting. This story was drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed above and reviewed against our editorial rules before publication. Facts carry source provenance. Figures, investors, founders and quotations are never generated — if a detail is not in a source, it is not published.
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