bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Iris Deng

China’s humanoid robot manufacturers on Friday took centre stage at the opening of the 27th China Hi-Tech Fair in Shenzhen, as the demand for these machines in enterprises gathers speed.
The fair, which will run through Sunday, has put the spotlight this year on artificial intelligence and robotics innovation.
With about a dozen of its products on display at this year’s event, Unitree Robotics drew one of the largest crowds on opening day, as it featured humanoid robots dancing and engaging in kickboxing matches.
Other robotics exhibitors that were well received at the show included EngineAI, Cyborg and Shenzhen Ruiyan.

The fair’s spotlight on China’s robotics industry reflected the efforts by China’s public and private sectors to foster its development via supportive national policies and unique events such as the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games held in Beijing in August.
The government has helped supercharge demand for humanoid robots in state-owned enterprises and factories, as a number of manufacturers entered mass production this year.
Shenzhen-based EngineAI showcased its star product, PM01, at the fair. The humanoid made global headlines earlier this year by performing the world’s first frontflip by a robot.
PMO1 has advanced beyond such stunts to become involved in real-world applications such as security inspection and serving as a guide at exhibitions and in tourism, according to EngineAI marketing manager Yao Weijia.
“We’re working to quickly expand the deployment scenarios based on our current applications, making it possible for humanoid robots to become ubiquitous in households,” Yao said at the fair.

Another Shenzhen start-up, Cyborg, introduced its wheel-legged humanoid robot, W01, for the factory floor. Its portfolio includes bipedal robots and dexterous robotic hands.
The expansion from bipedal to wheeled robots was a “strategic choice based on the urgent demand in industrial scenarios and the acceleration of commercialisation”, said Dong Dianbiao, CEO at Cyborg.
The W01’s wheels enable the robot to manoeuvre more efficiently in a factory, while its humanlike upper body can lift objects weighing more than 15 kilograms and perform other complicated tasks, according to the company.
“In the complex environment inside factories and warehouses, wheeled robots provide notable advantages in terms of efficiency of movement, stability and cost,” Dong said.

While Cyborg and other start-ups in the industry seek to expand the range of humanoid robots in the market, Shenzhen Ruiyan said it remained focused on building dexterous robotic hands, which are engineered to mimic how human hands perform specific tasks such as a precision grip – grasping with the tips of the thumb and index finger on either side of an object.
“We focus on dexterous hands because it’s the most complex and difficult part in a humanoid robot,” said Feng Rilin, sales director at Ruiyan. The company’s robotic hands, which cost from 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) to 80,000 yuan, are also supplied to client humanoid robot makers.
Dexterous hands were identified as one of the key areas of robotics that the Shenzhen municipal government supports, according to a range of policies announced in March.


‘Real Steel’: PLA unveils motion-controlled fight robot to 13 foreign militaries

Top Chinese universities offer courses in ‘embodied intelligence’ to aid robotics industry

Changan Auto becomes latest mainland Chinese carmaker to join humanoid robot bandwagon

China’s top economic planning agency warns of rise of too many robots

Robotics

Chinese humanoid robot makers seize the spotlight at Shenzhen’s annual hi-tech expo

China Hi-Tech Fair attendees are regaled by a kickboxing match between humanoid robots from Unitree Robotics. Photo: Iris Deng

Robotics companies show their wares at the China Hi-Tech Fair in Shenzhen. Photo: Handout

EngineAI’s PMO1 humanoid performs the world’s first frontflip by a robot in February. Photo: YouTube

A visitor plays rock paper scissors with a dexterous robotic hand at the 27th China Hi-Tech Fair in Shenzhen. Photo: Iris Deng

China’s humanoid robots get factory jobs as UBTech’s model scores US$112 million in orders

UBTech’s Walker S2 demonstrates its ability to change its own battery. Photo: Weibo/  i陆三金

The big reveal: Xpeng founder unzips humanoid robot to prove it’s not human

He Xiaopeng, co-founder and chairman of Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng, launches the company’s next-gen Iron humanoid robot. Photo: AFP

People look at a video clip of Xpeng’s next-gen Iron humanoid robot during AI Day at its headquarters in Guangzhou. Photo: AFP

Unitree, AgiBot robots steal the show at Shanghai’s import expo

Remote-controlled robots from Unitree Robotics put on a show at the China International Import Expo. Photo: AFP

A robot writes the character “fu” – meaning “good luck” – at the China International Import Expo. Photo: Xinhua

People watch a robot’s performance at the China International Import Expo. Photo: Xinhua

Chariots of wire: China flexes humanoid robot muscle at National Games with torch relay

Torch bearing humanoid robot Kuavo runs during the torch relay for China’s 15th National Games in Shenzhen. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese robotics start-up Noetix debuts ‘family-friendly’ US$1,400 humanoid

The Noetix Bumi is priced at about US$1,400. Photo: QQ.com

Presale for the Noetix Bumi began on Wednesday. Photo: QQ.com

The Noetix N2 races in a human-humanoid half-marathon in Beijing in April. Photo: Reuters

Tech

Tech Trends

News

China

Money & Wealth

China Future Tech

Business

China Business

Robotics firms Unitree, EngineAI, Cyborg and Shenzhen Ruiyan draw enthusiastic crowds at Friday’s opening of the 27th China Hi-Tech Fair


Robotics firms Unitree, EngineAI, Cyborg and Shenzhen Ruiyan draw enthusiastic crowds at Friday’s opening of the 27th China Hi-Tech Fair.
