CloudMinds
CloudMinds XR-1, also known by its marketing name Cloud Ginger, was the first commercial humanoid service robot by CloudMinds Technology Inc. (达闼科技有限公司), headquartered in Beijing and Irvine, California. The robot was publicly unveiled in 2019 at MWC Barcelona as a showcase of the CloudMinds cloud platform. In May 2020, CloudMinds was added to the US Department of Commerce Entity List on national security grounds, effectively ending the company's operations in Western markets. The name "Dataa Robotics" cited in some sources refers to the product name of the RCU (Robot Control Unit) DATA A1 smartphone — used as the robot's control module — not to the company or the robot itself.
The defining feature of the XR-1 is its cloud-first architecture: the robot does not process AI locally but connects via the secure VBN (Virtual Backbone Network) to the HARIX cloud brain (Human Augmented Robotics Intelligence with eXtreme Reality). HARIX delivers NLP, Computer Vision (face/object/posture/emotion recognition), VSLAM (Visual SLAM) and motion planning. This approach allows robot skills to be updated without hardware replacement and enables a fleet of robots to be managed simultaneously from a single cloud centre. Communication with the cloud was handled by a dedicated RCU (Robot Control Unit) based on the DATA A1 smartphone.
XR-1 is equipped with 34 SCA (Smart Compliant Actuator) smart joints — CloudMinds's proprietary technology. SCAs are highly integrated, advanced actuators with flexible and safe behaviour during human contact. They enable the robot to perform precise, vision-guided manipulation movements: grasping objects, opening doors, threading a needle. SCA actuators also provide automatic balancing and collision avoidance.
XR-1 is equipped with LiDAR, 2D/3D cameras and multiple sensors. The navigation stack, based on cloud SLAM/VSLAM technologies, enables autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance. Visual perception is multi-layered: 2D for face/object recognition, 3D for spatial perception (depth sensing, environment sensing) and building 3D semantic maps for manipulation. A microphone array with advanced NLP (multi-language, multi-accent support, semantic analysis with emotional intelligence) enables voice interaction.
XR-1 was designed for concierge, VIP service, guide, sales promoter and elderly care roles in retail (shops, malls), hospitality (hotels, airports), entertainment and homecare scenarios. The robot was capable of task-driven conversations and precise vision-controlled manipulations.
In May 2020, CloudMinds Technology Inc. and affiliated entities were added to the US Department of Commerce Entity List (BIS) on national security grounds. The listing prevented export of US components and technology to CloudMinds, drastically curtailing the company's production and commercial capabilities. The en.cloudminds.com website has been inaccessible since then, and the XR-1 robot is formally discontinued. The company continues to operate in China under the name 达闼科技有限公司, but its activity in Western markets has ceased.
Dimensions, weight and structural proportions
