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Thomas Tang
inSpace
Founder & CEO
Thomas Tang, the former general manager of Tencent User Experience Design Center and vice president of Xiaomi Ecological Chain, Thomas Tang,, with his precise industry insight and trend selection, became a significant driving force behind the rapid growth of both companies. While at Tencent, he founded the User Experience Design Center (CDC), responsible for the user experience of internet products used by hundreds of millions of users, and cultivated a group of design talents who entered the core management of multiple internet enterprises. After joining Xiaomi, he led the core R&D team to pioneer the smart home ecology, launching super hits such as the "Xiao'ai Speaker" and "Xiaomi Router" with sales exceeding 100 million units. This established Xiaomi's leading position in the global AIoT industry.
Soon afterwards, Thomas Tang, viewed the smart home industry as a trillion-dollar market for the next decade and decisively founded inSpace, aiming to establish the third user entry-level product system after mobile phones and smart cars, continuing his successful entrepreneurial journey.
UX for Consumer Robotics
As technology ceases to be the sole bottleneck for consumer robots, we often encounter a recurring challenge: dazzling tech demos fail to translate into long-term user engagement, and impressive specifications fall short in real-world scenarios. The industry has reached a turning point—shifting from “how to implement functions” to “how to create experiences with a human touch.” This brings us to the core of this session: how to bridge the gap from mere utility to meaningful interaction, and through experiential innovation, seamlessly integrate robots into daily life and business as indispensable partners.
From the Xiaomi ecosystem to Yingzhi Tech, from the massively popular Xiao AI Speaker to the game-changing XBOT Coffee Robot, this speech will systematically share user experience design insights gained from 15 years of hands-on practice in consumer robotics. You will discover how robots can break through their cold, functional image and become the “wow” factor in commercial settings or a “thoughtful companion” in homes through empathetic design. Together, we’ll explore how human-robot relationships are being redefined as machines learn to “understand” you, and how experience innovation—not just technology—is becoming the key to unlocking value.
1、A field-tested methodology for designing robot experiences that evolve from “usable” to “understanding,” proven across products like Xiao AI Speaker and XBOT.
2、Clear strategies to translate technical value into commercial success, ensuring users love what you build—and are willing to pay for it.
3、Forward-looking perspective on human-robot symbiosis in the era of embodied intelligence, helping you identify and act on emerging opportunities.
