Xynova announced that Prima 1, its fully direct-drive dexterous robotic hand with 22 degrees of freedom, has been named a CES 2027 Innovation Awards® Honoree in the Artificial Intelligence category. The company said the recognition highlights Prima 1's engineering, design and innovation in physical AI.

Built for Embodied AI Research

According to Xynova, Prima 1 is built for embodied AI research and scalable deployment. It combines responsive actuation, high force transparency and visuo-tactile sensing, giving AI engineers fine-grained control over physical interactions and rich sensory feedback for developing and evaluating dexterous manipulation policies.

Xynova describes dexterous manipulation as a central challenge in embodied AI. Handling objects requires robots to coordinate movement, force and sensory feedback as contact conditions change, and developing these capabilities calls for responsive hardware and detailed physical interaction data.

Technical Features

Xynova states that Prima 1's fully direct-drive architecture delivers millisecond-level response and precise force control, with low backdrive force and high force transparency supporting responsive physical interaction. Five-finger visuo-tactile sensing captures detailed contact feedback for data collection and manipulation research, while advanced thermal management and engineering-grade durability sustain continuous, long-duration operation.

Designed as an open research platform, Prima 1 supports robotic imitation learning, teleoperation and Sim-to-Real policy transfer. SDK access to control functions and operating data gives researchers flexibility to develop, test and evaluate their own manipulation models and control strategies.

Award Program

The CES Innovation Awards® program is organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and recognizes outstanding technology products. Submissions are evaluated by an independent panel of industry experts across three criteria: engineering and functionality, aesthetics and design, and the product's uniqueness and innovation.

"Dexterous manipulation is what will let humanoid robots move beyond basic tasks and interact meaningfully with the physical world. Being named a CES 2027 Innovation Awards® Honoree marks an important milestone for Xynova and reinforces our commitment to advancing physical AI," said Alex Xia, Founder and CEO of Xynova.

Where to See Prima 1

Xynova said it is exhibiting at the Conference on Robot Learning (CoRL), November 9–11, at Booth 604, and at Web Summit in Lisbon, November 9–12, at Booth E109.

At CES 2027, January 6–9 in Las Vegas, Xynova will showcase Prima 1 alongside Flex 2, its hybrid-drive dexterous hand engineered for precision manipulation in real-world applications. Visitors can meet the team and experience live demonstrations at Booth 12918, North Hall, Las Vegas Convention Center.

Company Background

Xynova describes itself as a full-stack provider of general-purpose dexterous manipulation solutions for the embodied AI industry. Its product portfolio includes Prima 1 and Flex 2.

Xynova said it is a unicorn in the physical AI industry and is headquartered in Hangzhou, China, with a 5,400-square-meter manufacturing facility supporting in-house R&D and production. While continuing to serve the Chinese market, the company said it is expanding relationships with customers, university research teams and ecosystem partners across the United States and Europe.