Sophia

Canonical robot record

Overview

Sophia is a human-like social robot developed by Hanson Robotics and first introduced in 2016. The company describes her as its most advanced human-like robot, designed to look and interact in a relatable, lifelike way. Hanson Robotics classifies Sophia as a research and custom platform rather than a consumer product, positioning her among robots that represent years of work in AI, materials science, and artistic expression.

Sophia integrates conversational artificial intelligence with expressive facial animation and visual perception, allowing her to hold conversations, react with a range of facial expressions, and perceive the people and environment around her. She is primarily used for AI and human-robot interaction research, custom engagements, and high-profile public demonstrations.

The company is headquartered in Hong Kong and was founded by David Hanson, with Sophia serving as its flagship demonstration of relatable, human-like robotics.

RoboZaps maintains this record as part of its canonical robotics database. Specs are source-verified where linked; the record compares public facts across manufacturers rather than representing a single robot maker.