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The World’s Most Bionic and Intelligent Panda Cub Robot Spotlight at CES 2025: To Deliver Psychological Support and Robot-Assisted Therapy

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LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Chinese Startup Unveils The Most Advanced Biomimetic Affective AI Pandas 

Imagine a world filled with panda cubs, where you can choose one as your own perfect pet. They tend to you anytime you want, and listen to you all the time. They not only understand what you are saying, but also response to you in a way based on the personality traits you want them to be. The more you hug, cuddle, or stroke them, the happier they become, growing more attached to you even during moments of loneliness or sadness. While owning a real panda cub may be out of reach, a Chinese company is making this dream a reality through advanced robotics.

At CES 2025, a Shenzhen-based company Mind with Heart Robotics Co., Ltd. (known as Wuxin) unveiled its latest product:

AnAn, an adorable bionic panda cub. AnAn reacts to a user’s touch with unique sounds based on where it’s petted, owing to its whole set of realistic and soft fur covering more than 10 tactile sensing suites. Designed with an intelligent “AI Brain”, AnAn is an ideal companion for users. This panda cub equips with core & long-term memory and reminder functions, making it a “personal assistant” for seniors. AnAn also comes with its dedicated app, allowing users to personalize their panda’s name, voice, and personality while sharing stories and experiences with a global community of “panda owners.”

Apart from its cute and attractive appearance, AnAn holds significant potential in healthcare, such as providing companionship for elderly patients with cognitive decline, helping reduce care costs, and improving their independence and quality of life. In addition, the AI panda serves as an engaging and educational companion, fostering emotional growth and improving social skills in children. It also provides stress relief for professionals and young individuals facing loneliness, offering the perfect solution for those who wish to own a pet but lack the time to care for one.

With its blend of advanced AI technology and heartwarming design, AnAn is set to redefine the future of companionship, offering users a unique and emotionally enriching experience.

The Business of Battling Loneliness: A Promising Market for AI-powered Plush Toys

As aging populations and mental health issues become more severe, the demand for loneliness reduction and psychological support has reached unprecedented levels. Groups such as the elderly living alone, single individuals, and socially anxious individuals, seek understanding and empathy. Special groups, such as patients with depression, cognitive disorders, or autism, also have strong needs for psychological support. “In China, over 100 million people fall into these demographics, and globally, the number shall be tragically multiplied by five,” said Dr. Zhang Jiaming, founder and CEO of Wuxin. “We firmly believe that biomimetic AI pets with affective intelligence become indispensable friends and personal assistants for mankind worldwide. And AnAn can be an ideal robot to deliver psychological support and robot-assisted therapy to global customers.”

Unlike human interactions, robots eliminate concerns about social stigma, embarrassment, or prejudice, providing stress-free conversations. They are also increasingly utilized in therapeutic contexts for psychological and cognitive challenges.

Many Chinese manufacturers have also launched AI-powered plush toys, with some companies reporting shipments of 20,000 to 30,000 units. These products primarily target young people and elderly people seeking to alleviate loneliness by owning an AI-powered pet.

According to market research firm Contrive Datum Insights, the global AI toys market is projected to reach $35.11 billion by 2030.

However, Dr. Zhang believes current products fall short of expectations. “Most AI pets on the market are overpriced, often exceeding $1,000, with limited realism and intelligence in interactions. Our products will deliver ‘Three Highs’, i.e., high cost-effectiveness, high bionic fidelity, and high affective intelligence, to attract and benefit more customers,” said Dr. Zhang. Wuxin has partnered with world-leading manufacturers, brand channels, and psychological and healthcare experts to overcome key challenges in bionic craftsmanship, cost, and production capacity, to set new industry standards.

Ambitious Plans for 2025 Mass Production

Industrial robots are no longer enough to satisfy the ambitions of Chinese companies. Robots with enhanced lifelike qualities, better communication, and interactive capabilities—especially those designed for home environments and elder care—are emerging as a new development trend. In the future, service and personal robots are expected to be widely adopted in areas such as customer service, hospitality, entertainment, healthcare, and elder care.

A complete supply chain system and supporting government incentive policies provide convenience for Chinese companies. Located in the innovation hub of China’s Greater Bay Area, Wuxin benefits from a robust industrial ecosystem in cities such as Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Zhongshan. Government support is also abundant; for example, Shenzhen’s 2022 initiative to develop intelligent robotics clusters included subsidies of up to 3 million RMB (~$410,000).

Dr. Zhang, who earned his Ph.D.at the University of Sheffield under globally renowned AI & robotics experts Prof. Noel Sharkey and Dr. Amanda Sharkey, has over a decade of experience in robotics, AI, affective computing, and human-robot interaction. He has led or participated in the development of more than 20 different forms of interactive robots. From 2015 to 2019, he and his team developed the world’s first biomimetic panda robot. This robot was used in a preliminary study on the feasibility of a panda robot with 20 dementia patients at a day care center (JCCPA in Hong Kong), and it garnered significant media attention in Mainland China. Currently Wuxin has assembled a team of top-tier talent from universities such as the University of Nottingham, CUHK and Peking University, and has filed over 30 patents.

“Our philosophy is rooted in our belief in 3S- ‘Simulation-Stimulus-Social Creatures,’ meaning creating social beings through interactive stimuli based on bionics. As a result, all our products could be labeled as highly biomimetic and emotionally intelligent,” said Dr. Zhang. The Wuxin product line also includes other forms, and all products will be launched in 2025.

As technology advances and demand grows, Biomimetic AI Pets with Affective Intelligence are poised to become a ubiquitous part of daily life, transforming from cinematic fantasies into reality. Ambitious Chinese companies like Wuxin are making quiet yet significant strides toward this future.

About Wuxin

Mind with Heart Robotics Co., Ltd.

Address: 1601A, 8th Building, Qianhai Excellence Financial Center (Phase I), No. 5033 Menghai Avenue, Nanshan Street, Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Zone, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.

Media Contact

CEO Dr. Zhang: 0086-13530502919

Email: zhangjiaming@wxbionics.com 

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SOURCE Mind With Heart Robotics

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Wistron Celebrates Grand Opening of First U.S. Smart Factory Marking Milestone in Global Smart Manufacturing Strategy

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FORT WORTH, Texas, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Wistron Corporation (“Wistron”) celebrated the grand opening of its D1 AI smart facility in Fort Worth, Texas, the site where the first NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Superchip was built and mass-produced in the United States. The US$ 700 million facility, spanning approximately 324,000 square foot, was officially unveiled during a ceremony led by Wistron Chairman Simon Lin and NVIDIA Founder and CEO Jensen Huang. Jessica Rogers, Director of the Economic Development Department for the City of Fort Worth, and Alexander Tah-ray Yui, Taiwan’s Representative to the United States, were among the government officials and business leaders who attended, marking a milestone in the expansion of Wistron’s global footprint and advanced manufacturing capabilities.

This is a key hub in Wistron’s global AI infrastructure manufacturing network. The facility runs on NVIDIA accelerated computing and integrates NVIDIA’s Nemotron and Cosmos open frontier models and Omniverse and Metropolis libraries, using digital twin technology to optimize factory design, production workflows, and operational efficiency. It is Wistron’s first U.S.-based manufacturing facility, established to serve customers locally and produce NVIDIA’s most advanced and cutting-edge products. Wistron Chairman Simon Lin said “The operation here is not typical manufacturing. It is new, very comprehensive, and high-tech. Right now we produce the NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Superchip, and beyond, we are also going to produce the NVIDIA Vera Rubin Superchip here. In the next couple of years, this location will be one of the most important, as we build AI infrastructure here in the United States. I think this is the reason we say that there will be the next chapter, and we are going to empower AI from Texas.”

Responding to Customer Needs: Texas, the Newest Global Manufacturing Hub
At this pivotal moment for global AI infrastructure, Wistron is drawing on decades of global manufacturing experience to expand its footprint in Texas, a state with a well-established ecosystem for logistics, talent recruitment, and advanced manufacturing. The new D1 facility produces the NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Superchip and soon, the NVIDIA Vera Rubin Superchip — critical to powering the next generation of AI computing. The new Fort Worth facility strengthens a critical upstream layer of the AI infrastructure supply chain by expanding domestic capacity to assemble and test NVIDIA AI systems. These servers can be integrated into NVIDIA DSX infrastructure, with DSX providing the common architecture and technologies needed to deploy and operate energy-efficient AI factories at scale.

One-Stop Operational Ecosystem Strengthens U.S. AI Supply Chain Resilience
Behind every breakthrough in AI computing lies the manufacturing capability to scale it. Wistron is expanding its AI server production capabilities from Taiwan to the United States, guided by a vision of precision, efficiency, and sustainability. This reflects a broader industry shift: AI leadership is determined not only by technological breakthroughs, but also by the operational capability to transform innovation into high-volume production with consistent quality, supply chain resilience, and predictable delivery. By establishing AI infrastructure manufacturing capacity in the United States, Wistron is building a one-stop operational ecosystem spanning manufacturing and after-sales service — shortening delivery timelines and customer support cycles, strengthening supply chain resilience, and laying the foundation for long-term competitive advantage as AI infrastructure continues to scale.

Partnering with NVIDIA to Pioneer a New Model for Smart Manufacturing and Energy Optimization
As the era of physical AI begins, Wistron is extending its smart manufacturing capabilities to the United States, creating a new model for AI infrastructure production built on digital manufacturing, energy optimization, and local operations. Jensen Huang said: “The largest infrastructure buildout in history is underway. Demand for AI factories—the engine of this next industrial revolution—is incredible, and they must be produced everywhere. Together, NVIDIA and Wistron are restoring US advanced manufacturing capacity in Texas, creating skilled jobs and strengthening America’s AI supply chain.” As demand for advanced manufacturing grows in Texas, smarter planning of production loads and energy use will give the plant greater control and flexibility over its electricity needs.

Turning Global Experience into Scalable AI Infrastructure
Simon Lin stressed that the speed the AI era demands comes with its own responsibility. “In the AI era, the pressure of speed is also a form of responsibility,” Lin said. “We don’t just need to build fast; we need to build right.”

The Fort Worth plant will serve as the core engine of Wistron’s U.S. manufacturing operations, the company said, connecting its global production network with ecosystem partners as it scales advanced AI manufacturing. Wistron said that the investment reflects efforts to deepen its technical capabilities, strengthen the resilience and efficiency of global supply chains, and support the next phase of AI infrastructure development.

About Wistron:
Wistron Corporation is a leading global technology service provider delivering advanced ICT products, AI infrastructure, and manufacturing solutions to technology brands worldwide. With more than 63,000 employees across North America, Europe, and Asia, Wistron continues to expand its AI, cloud, and advanced manufacturing capabilities to support the next generation of intelligent computing. For more information about Wistron, please visit the official website at www.wistron.com. Additional information about the event is available on the event website.

Media Contact:
Joyce WL Chou
joyce_wl_chou@wistron.com

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SOURCE Wistron Corporation

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NSG Bio Accelerates Breakthrough Biotech Innovation in Singapore

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New initiative under NSG Bio Tomorrow will support promising startups developing next-generation approaches in respiratory and neonatal care

SINGAPORE, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The NSG Bio Tomorrow initiative aims at supporting emerging life sciences startups working on complex challenges in respiratory and neonatal care.

Launched through the support of Chiesi Group, The Impulse initiative will provide a selected startup with one year of NSG Bio membership and access to a dedicated laboratory bench at NSG Bio Singapore. The initiative is designed to help early-stage biotech companies move from promising science toward stronger proof-of-concept work in a fully equipped research environment.

The initiative comes at a time when the biotech industry is increasingly looking for faster, more connected ways to move high-potential science from the lab toward real-world patient impact. For startups, access to infrastructure is only one part of the challenge. Equally important are the right networks, industry visibility, technical environment, and opportunities to engage with partners who understand the path from early discovery to clinical relevance.

The programme will focus on startups developing innovative biotechnological solutions with potential relevance to chronic respiratory diseases and neonatal conditions. Areas of interest include cell therapies, gene therapies, gene-editing technologies, regenerative tissue engineering, engineered or programmable living systems, lung-targeted delivery platforms, preventive approaches, and small-molecule-based approaches.

The selected startup will gain access to NSG Bio’s laboratory infrastructure, shared workspaces, meeting facilities, and wider community of biotech entrepreneurs, researchers, scientific leaders, and industry partners. The support is intended to help the company advance key research milestones while becoming part of Singapore’s growing life-science innovation ecosystem.

For NSG Bio, the initiative is part of NSG Bio Tomorrow, its ecosystem-building arm created to expand the company’s role beyond facilities and real estate. While NSG Bio is known for providing high-quality laboratory and office infrastructure for biotech companies, NSG Bio Tomorrow focuses on building the programmes, partnerships, and opportunities that help startups grow.

“Biotech companies need more than lab space. They need access, momentum, and the right ecosystem around them,” said Hasyim Sim, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, NSG Bio. “Through NSG Bio Tomorrow, we are building initiatives that help promising startups connect with partners, unlock opportunities, and move their science forward. This initiative reflects exactly the kind of role we want to play in the biotech ecosystem.”

“Chiesi is committed to supporting innovation that can make a meaningful difference for patients, and we work with entrepreneurs, researchers and partners to advance meaningful ideas,” said Fabrizio Conicella, Vice President, Center of Open Innovation & Competence at Chiesi Group. “By supporting this NSG Bio Tomorrow initiative, we want to create an opportunity for early-stage innovators to access the infrastructure and ecosystem support needed to develop impactful science in respiratory and neonatal care.”

NSG Bio Tomorrow programme also reinforces Singapore’s position as a growing hub for biotech innovation in Asia, where startups, research institutions, investors, and industry partners are increasingly coming together to support the next generation of healthcare companies.

Applications open on 22 July 2026 at 09:00 a.m. SGT. Finalists will be invited to present at a virtual pitch event, after which the selected startup will be announced.

About NSG Bio

NSG Bio is Singapore’s leading provider of BSL-2 certified co-working laboratory and office spaces, supporting life-science companies from early research through growth. Through its facilities, community, and ecosystem initiatives, NSG Bio enables biotech innovators to accelerate research, access networks, and build companies that address critical healthcare challenges.

About NSG Bio Tomorrow

NSG Bio Tomorrow is NSG Bio’s ecosystem-building arm, created to support the next generation of biotech innovation through partnerships, programmes, community initiatives, and opportunities that extend beyond physical laboratory infrastructure. Its mission is to strengthen the biotech industry by connecting startups with the resources, expertise, and networks they need to thrive.

About Chiesi Group 

Chiesi is a research-oriented international biopharmaceutical group that develops and markets innovative therapeutic solutions in respiratory health, rare diseases, and specialty care. The company’s mission is to improve people’s quality of life and act responsibly towards both the community and the environment. As a certified B Corp since 2019, Chiesi is part of a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact. 

With 90 years of experience, Chiesi is headquartered in Parma (Italy), with 31 affiliates worldwide, and counts more than 7,900 employees. The Group’s research and development centre in Parma works alongside 6 other important R&D hubs in France, the US, Canada, China, the UK, and Sweden. For further information please visit https://www.chiesi.com/en/home 

Media Contact
Giridharan
Laboratory Manager
NSG Bio
giridharan@nsgbio.com
87797175

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SOURCE NSG Bio

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House Judiciary Committee Passes Bill that Would Prevent Future Immigration Crises: Swift Action Needed by Full House, Says FAIR

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WASHINGTON, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the House Judiciary Committee passed an updated version of H.R. 2, the landmark border security bill from last congressional session. The bill now awaits consideration by the full House of Representatives. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) urges Speaker Mike Johnson to schedule a final floor vote as soon as possible.

The Secure Border Act systematically closes the loopholes that allowed the Biden administration to unleash the largest and most damaging wave of illegal immigration in American history. Enactment of this legislation would prevent future anti-borders administrations from shirking their responsibilities to secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws; asserting unlimited discretion to parole inadmissible aliens to enter the country; or releasing millions of illegal aliens into the country, rather than detaining them or returning them to the country from which they entered.

“We congratulate the Judiciary Committee for its swift action on this critical legislation,” said Dale Wilcox, executive director and general counsel of FAIR. “Ending border chaos and rampant illegal immigration was a key reason that Republicans regained control of the White House and both chambers of Congress in the last election. The clock is ticking on the 119th Congress, and Republicans only have a short time to deliver on the promises they made to voters in 2024, before the midterms.

“Right now, our immigration laws are being enforced in the interests of the American people. As the last administration demonstrated, enforcement of those laws is not guaranteed unless Congress acts to prevent similar abuse in the future. Now is the time for decisive action in the House, where this bill can be passed with a simple majority vote, and an opportunity for Senate Majority Leader John Thune to put every member of that body on record before voters go to the polls in the fall,” Wilcox concluded.

Hayley Hill, hhill@fairus.org 202-328-7004

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SOURCE Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)

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