Moby is an industrial humanoid built by Noble Machines, a startup in Sunnyvale, California. It walks on legs and is meant for heavy, hazardous work such as material handling, inspections and data capture in factories, logistics, construction, energy and semiconductor plants.
History and launch
The company was founded in 2024 as Under Control Robotics and came out of stealth as Noble Machines on March 4, 2026, presenting Moby as its first humanoid.
Noble says its first robots were deployed at an unnamed Fortune Global 500 customer within roughly 18 months of the company's launch, and that a next-generation robot is on the way.
Design and hardware
Moby is a legged robot with a heavy upper body. The manufacturer lists a 23 kg (50 lb) payload, about 5 hours of battery life and a walking speed of 0.8 m/s. Launch coverage in The Robot Report cited up to 27 kg (60 lb), and heise online put its weight at about 70 kg.
Instead of fingered hands it uses modular end-effectors. It is designed for stairs, scaffolding, unstable ground, steep inclines and cluttered spaces. Actuators are co-developed with Schaeffler, and a ruggedized Jetson Thor computer with ADLINK.
Software and AI
An in-house AI whole-body controller handles disturbances and shifting loads. Noble uses NVIDIA's open Isaac GR00T 1.7 model as the foundation, fine-tuned with VR teleoperation data, trains in Isaac Sim and Isaac Lab, and runs inference onboard on Jetson Thor without cloud calls.
Operators teach new tasks through language, demonstration and gestures rather than code. NVIDIA says the robot was built in 18 months by about 15 people.
Deployments
NVIDIA describes two Moby units moving cartons, trays and material carriers at a semiconductor facility in Asia, with Taiwanese integrator Solomon adapting the workflows. Noble is also exploring construction work with a US general contractor.
Company
Noble Machines is based in Sunnyvale. Its team comes from Apple, SpaceX, NASA and Caltech; Wei Ding is co-founder and CEO. Funding has not been disclosed.
Price and availability
No public price. Moby is sold to industrial customers through deployments, not as a retail product.
Timeline
- 2024 Company founded as Under Control Robotics
- 2026-03 Exits stealth as Noble Machines and unveils Moby
- 2026-03 Exhibits at NVIDIA GTC 2026
Sources
- Noble Machines exits stealth with Moby humanoid, The Robot Report (2026-03-04)
- Robotics startup develops universal industrial robot in under two years, heise online (2026-03-05)
- Noble Machines case study, NVIDIA (2026)
- Noble Machines home page, Noble Machines (2026-10)
Updated: 2026-10-10
Verification and limitations
This entry requires an up-to-date manufacturer specification check.
MERA field measurement report: not published. Demonstration footage and manufacturer specifications are not a MERA test under event conditions.
Data and provenance for AI agents ↗Compared with the catalogue
- At 155 cm the Noble Machines Moby is taller than 18% of the humanoids in the catalogue (median: 170 cm).
- It has 22 degrees of freedom against a catalogue median of 28; more degrees of freedom usually means finer arm and hand movement.
- Its weight of 70 kg (catalogue median: 65 kg) matters for transport and for working around people.
- It is the only Noble Machines model in the catalogue and one of 43 humanoids from USA.
Capabilities
Frequently asked questions
How much can Moby lift?
The manufacturer lists 23 kg (50 lb); some launch coverage cited 27 kg (60 lb).
Is Moby a hospital robot?
No. Noble Machines targets industry: manufacturing, logistics, construction, energy and semiconductors.
What is Moby's battery life?
About 5 hours, according to the manufacturer.
What AI does Moby use?
An in-house whole-body controller plus NVIDIA Isaac GR00T 1.7, fine-tuned on teleoperation data and run onboard a Jetson Thor.
How much does Moby cost?
Pricing has not been disclosed.
How much does the Noble Machines Moby cost?
The manufacturer has not published a price for the Noble Machines Moby. You can send a purchase enquiry through MERA Robotics.
Is the Noble Machines Moby available to buy?
Status: Research: a research platform for labs and universities.
How tall and heavy is the Noble Machines Moby?
Height: 155 cm, weight: 70 kg, degrees of freedom: 22.
How do I buy the Noble Machines Moby through MERA Robotics?
Click “I want to buy” or fill in the form on this page. MERA Robotics will reply whether and on what terms the model is available and can help deploy it with the MERA OS conversation system.
Data: Noble Machines. Specs from the manufacturer; they may change, always confirm with the manufacturer before buying.
