AuguryRobots Learn to Feel: PaXini Brings Human-Like Touch to iREX 2025
This article was written by the Augury Times
A clear debut and what it meant on the show floor
At iREX 2025 in Tokyo, the Chinese robotics company PaXini stepped onto the international stage with a clear message: robots can now sense touch in ways that matter outside the lab. On the floor, PaXini ran a string of demos where machines handled soft fruit, adjusted grip on moving parts, and reacted to human contact with safe, human-like motions. The demos were smooth and confident — not a lab trick, the company suggested, but a set of features ready for real work.
For visitors, the most striking thing wasn’t one headline feature but the feeling that touch had been added to the robot’s toolkit in a practical way. That shift — from seeing to feeling — is what PaXini emphasized as its main announcement.
What PaXini actually showed: sensors, soft skin and learning that uses touch
On the iREX floor PaXini demonstrated several concrete pieces of hardware and software working together. One demo used a soft, sensor-packed skin on a robot arm. The skin registered pressure and texture, letting the arm pick up a peach without bruising it and then hand the fruit to a human without squeezing too hard.
Another demo combined tactile pads on a gripper with onboard learning software. The system quickly learned how to adjust grip force when parts changed shape or when a conveyor moved faster. PaXini also ran an example where a small mobile manipulator felt its way around cluttered shelves, using touch to find and extract oddly shaped items that vision alone would have missed.
The company highlighted two technical points repeatedly: low-latency sensing that lets the robot stop or change motion instantly when it feels unexpected contact, and embodied intelligence — software that ties touch to motion so the robot’s whole body adapts, not just a single joint. PaXini claimed the sensors work reliably in dusty or slightly wet conditions, and that the sensing modules are compact enough to fit on standard industrial arms.
Why these demos matter for robotics beyond the show
Until recently, most industrial robots relied mainly on cameras and pre-programmed motion. That works when the environment is predictable, but it breaks down when tasks are delicate or dynamic. Adding touch gives robots a new level of adaptability. A robot that can feel can handle fragile goods, collaborate more safely with people, and work in settings where vision is obscured.
PaXini’s presentation fits a wider trend: companies and labs around the world are moving from proof-of-concept touch sensors to integrated systems meant for real factories and service settings. The big question is whether the technology can be made affordable and robust enough for broad use. PaXini’s demos suggest progress, but they don’t yet prove mass readiness.
Who PaXini is and what it sells
PaXini is a China-based robotics firm focused on tactile sensors, robot skins and the software that uses touch data. The company has kept a fairly low public profile until recently and appears to be privately held. At iREX it showed a mix of hardware modules and control software aimed at both industrial customers and integrators building mixed human-robot work cells.
Company materials and spokespeople on site described partnerships with academic labs and early industrial pilots, but they did not present broad customer lists or public financial details. That makes PaXini an interesting but still early-stage player to watch.
Practical implications and the hurdles between demo and deployment
The most immediate sales targets for PaXini are clear: food handling, electronics assembly, packaging, and any job where fragile items or fine manipulation are common. Service robotics, including eldercare and shared human-robot spaces, could also be a fit if safety and reliability are proven at scale.
Major challenges remain. Will the sensors last months or years on real factory floors? Can the software handle vastly different tasks without heavy reprogramming? How much will the modules add to the price of a robot cell? PaXini’s team acknowledged these questions in one-on-one conversations at the show but did not give full answers.
Event notes, sources and what’s next
This coverage is based on PaXini’s public presentation at iREX 2025 in Tokyo and the company’s press materials distributed at the show. PaXini said it will run follow-up demos, publish deeper technical notes, and open more pilot programs in the coming months. iREX continues through the week, giving observers more chances to see similar touch-focused systems from other vendors.
Sources