There was a big trade show, the World Robot Conference, in Beijing last week.
A couple of the stories:
From Reuters via India's Business Standard, August 23:
China's robot makers chase Tesla in race to deliver humanoid workers
At the World Robot Conference this week in Beijing, over two dozen Chinese companies showed off humanoid robots
China dominates the market for electric vehicles. Now it's chasing Tesla in the race to build battery-powered humanoids expected to replace human workers building EVs on assembly lines.At the World Robot Conference this week in Beijing, over two dozen Chinese companies showed off humanoid robots designed to work in factories and warehouses, with even more displaying the made-in-China precision parts needed to build them.
China's push into the emerging industry draws from the formula behind its initial EV drive more than a decade ago: government support, ruthless price competition from a wide field of new entrants and a deep supply chain.
"China's humanoid robot industry demonstrates clear advantages in supply-chain integration (and) mass production capabilities," said Arjen Rao, analyst at China-based LeadLeo Research Institute.
The robotics effort is backed by President Xi Jinping's policy of developing "new productive forces" in technology a point made in brochures for this week's event.
The city of Beijing launched a $1.4 billion state-backed fund for robotics in January, while Shanghai announced in July plans to set up a $1.4 billion humanoid industry fund....
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From the South China Morning Post, also August 23:
China’s own Tesla Optimus? Beijing’s ambitions in humanoid robots in full display at expo
Chinese robot manufacturers are hoping to repeat the country’s global success in smartphones and electric vehicles
Chinese technology companies unveiled more than two dozen humanoid robots at an industry expo in Beijing this week, where Tesla’s Optimus was the only foreign competitor present, a sign of the mainland’s drive to dominate the field.The five-day 2024 World Robot Conference, which concludes on Sunday, is the latest event in China to showcase the nation’s progress and ambitions in robotics. The show has attracted 400 industry experts and academics from the sector and more than 160 domestic and overseas robotics firms that exhibited more than 60 new products, including 27 Chinese-designed humanoid robots, according to the organisers.
While China is not considered a global leader in humanoid robots, hopes are high among mainland manufacturers that they can repeat the country’s international success found in the smartphone and electric vehicle sectors.Agibot – founded by Li Zhihui, a Huawei Technologies alumnus who aims to create humanoid robots rivalling Tesla’s Optimus –unveiled several examples powered by large language models (LLMs), the technology underpinning generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). Equipped with sensors, the robots are able to “watch” and “listen” by processing text, audio and video.“LLMs have enabled a lot of new concepts and possibilities for robots,” said Hu Jingping, an Agibot employee.
Agibot’s products are geared towards industrial use, such as automated stacking, loading and unloading of materials in factories, as well as greeting customers in shops and offering help before the arrival of a human assistant, according to Hu....
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And for our eight-year old demographic, an older story, July 4, from Railway Technology:
Japanese railway introduces infrastructure robot
It can carry up to 40kg and work remotely at up to 12 metres above ground.
West Japan Railways (West JR), one of six companies that make up Japan Railways Group, has unveiled a giant “humanoid robot” to work on heavy machinery on its lines.
The as yet unnamed tool is described as “multifunctional railway heavy machinery for railway equipment maintenance” and is based off a prototype used by West JR to prove the concept of the odd-looking machine.
The new robot has been developed in partnership with Jinki Ittai Co, a robotics technology developer, and Nippon Signal Co, an IT and electricals in infrastructure firm.
West JR said the project was needed due to “a labour shortage in infrastructure maintenance work, not just for railways”.
The new “heavy equipment” is carried by a railway construction vehicle, which hosts the control room, with the robot on an extendable boom....
...MORE, including video.
Earlier: While You Were Busy Living Your Life: "Nvidia Announces GR00T, a Foundation Model for Humanoids"
