$4,000 “mobile toilet”: China’s new mobile robot turns heads at Shanghai Expo
Chinese tech company Yueban unveiled a self-driving intelligent toilet robot designed to assist elderly and mobility-impaired users, introducing an unusual new entry into the rapidly growing field of home care robotics, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The device, called Xiaoban, was presented at the 2026 Shanghai International Elderly Care Expo as an automated sanitation solution designed to enhance dignity and reduce the physical burden on caregivers.
Unlike conventional assistive toilets, Xiaoban is a mobile unit that can move to a user’s bedside. After use, it automatically cleans, including bidet washing, warm-air drying, and odour control through filtration systems.
Once the user has finished, the robot returns to a docking station connected to household plumbing, where it disposes of waste, flushes its system through an internal grinder designed to prevent blockages, and runs a full self-cleaning cycle before refilling and recharging.
The system uses sensors, including LiDAR, to safely navigate indoor environments. It also features automated docking and sterilization functions to minimize human contact and improve hygiene standards.
In China, Xiaoban is priced at 28,999 yuan (about $4,000), with international pricing to be announced.
According to the tech firm, the product is designed primarily for eldercare settings, where maintaining independence and reducing caregiver workload are key challenges. Although the high cost may limit widespread adoption, the device highlights a broader trend toward robotics that addresses sensitive aspects of daily life for ageing populations.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission successfully restored the Orion spacecraft’s toilet system to normal operation after a technical issue was detected.