China unveils world’s first humanoid robot that changes its own batteries
The Walker S2 returns to a charging point and swaps out its batteries when low on power, allowing it to work with minimal supervision
China’s robotics industry chalked up another world first on Thursday, as a company based in Shenzhen announced it had developed a new humanoid robot that can change its own batteries.
A demonstration video released on Thursday shows the Walker S2 robot, developed by UBTech Robotics, walking over to a charging station, removing a depleted battery from its chest, inserting it into a charging dock, and then installing a fresh battery before wandering off.
The feature means the robot can – in theory, at least – work non-stop 24 hours a day without human assistance, according to the company.
China’s humanoid robot industry has made rapid strides in recent years, with the Chinese government identifying robotics and artificial intelligence as crucial strategic industries and providing generous policy support.
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China unveils world’s first humanoid robot that can change its own batteries
A Moody’s report on Thursday noted that China was “emerging as a robotics powerhouse” due to its unique ability to combine advanced AI with low-cost manufacturing.