China’s humanoid robot manufacturers, including Unitree, EngineAI, Cyborg and Shenzhen Ruiyan, took center stage at the 27th China Hi-Tech Fair in Shenzhen, as the demand for these machines in enterprises gathers speed. The fair has put the spotlight this year on artificial intelligence (AI) 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. 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 (SOEs) 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 front flip 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.
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 commercialization”, said Dong Dianbiao, CEO at Cyborg. The W01’s wheels enable the robot to maneuver 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 the 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 CNY10,000 to CNY80,000, are also supplied to client humanoid robot makers, the South China Morning Post reports.
