Humanoids make waves on factory floors

In Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, a sleek silver humanoid robot, standing at an impressive 180 centimeters, made an unexpected appearance among a group of "dancing grannies" performing a lively exercise routine.

To the grannies' amazement, their robotic partner wasn't just keeping pace — it was cutting capers with large, confident strides, executing dance moves that rivaled their own. Some of its movements were even more precise than those of the human dancers, adding an unexpected flair to the gathering.

Beyond its dancing prowess, humanoid robots like this one are already making significant contributions to China's industrial sector.

In the factory of Audi FAW, for instance, another humanoid robot can easily carry a crate of auto parts weighing 15 kilograms, and navigate through narrow aisles and around obstacles with the grace of a seasoned worker.

These humanoid robots begin their real-world training in actual factories, and a sci-fi-like future is starting to take shape in China.

Last week, Elon Musk, founder of electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc, surprised the tech world by unveiling its humanoid robot Optimus. Optimus not only wandered among the attendees, but also spoke with a very human voice, even using modern slang and incorporating verbal pauses.

The hum of such automatons at work is the sound of the manufacturing sector's next era in China, where human-robot collaboration is not just for fun, but a real thing that aids mankind.

Xu Xiaolan, former vice-minister of industry and information technology and a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, said that humanoid robots are expected to become another "disruptive product" after computers, smartphones and new energy vehicles.

"Currently in China, new technologies, products and formats represented by humanoid robots and general AI are thriving and becoming the pinnacle of global technological innovation, a new track for future industries and a new engine of economic growth," Xu said.

Huang Jiawei, marketing director of leading humanoid robot firm Unitree Robotics, said China's humanoid robots are already at a top global level with a series of core technologies, including joints with maximum torque, and high-precision 360-degree cameras.

The humanoid robot that danced with the grannies can walk at speeds of up to 3.3 meters per second, making it a world record holder. It is also the world's first full-sized electric-driven humanoid robot capable of performing a stationary backflip, Huang noted.

In August, the Hangzhou-based robotics firm said that its G1 humanoid robot had just been updated, transforming it into a version that can be mass-produced, with stronger performance and an even better appearance.

The humanoid robot, priced at 99,000 yuan ($13,910), which is considered very reasonable, can simulate human hand movements with remarkable precision, making it one of the most affordable options in the market.

What sets the Unitree G1 apart is its price point. In comparison, Tesla's Optimus is projected to have a price of $25,000, making Unitree's offering significantly more cost-effective. This pricing strategy could accelerate the adoption of humanoid robots across various industries in China.

According to market consultancy Coherent Market Insights, China's humanoid robot market is rapidly growing and is expected to clock in $2.9 billion in sales revenue this year, and is projected to skyrocket to around $46.31 billion by 2031, at a staggering compound annual growth rate of 48.6 percent.

Jiao Jichao, vice-president and executive dean of the research department of UBTech, another leading Chinese robot company, said that the firm is confident that its humanoid robots will achieve widespread factory applications within three years.

"The company aims to deliver humanoid robots in small quantities to industries, especially automobile factories, for handling and sorting tasks, by the end of this year," Jiao said.

He further disclosed that from next year to 2027, such humanoid robots will be gradually used for assembly tasks and on-site operations. Besides the automotive industry, the company will deploy such robots in 3C, or computer, communication, and consumer electronics fields, as well as the logistics sector.

"During this period, we aim to achieve larger-scale commercial mass production. Here, mass production not only involves a quantity increase, but also improvements in quality, cost control and operational efficiency," he said.

By 2033, the company's humanoid robots are expected to perform more precise assembly work, such as assembling interiors, as well as assembling smaller and more delicate products like smartphones and smartwatches in the 3C industries, he added.

According to a guideline from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China aims to establish a preliminary innovation system for humanoid robots by 2025. By 2027, the country will see a secure and reliable industry and supply chain system, and related products will be deeply integrated into the real economy.

To sharpen the competitiveness of future industries including humanoid robotics, China will launch a series of scientific research projects, establish a number of incubators, support certain regions to explore and develop application scenarios, and cultivate more industrial high-fliers, said Jin Zhuanglong, minister of industry and information technology, at a news conference in July.

The National Development and Reform Commission also issued a document in June encouraging the development of humanoid robots based on large-scale AI models to enrich consumption scenarios.

Rick Xiong, general manager of the Beijing Embodied Intelligence Robotics Innovation Center, said: "These combined efforts will shape the future in our favor. Chinese robot companies have the right timing, the right place and the right people to accelerate the humanoid robot push."

Xiong said that leading Western countries have witnessed deep-pocketed industry giants dominating the robot landscape, whereas China is characterized by a proliferation of small to medium-sized enterprises striving to navigate the competitive terrain of humanoid robots.

He also said the rise of AI large language models, exemplified by technologies like ChatGPT, has been a game-changer in the robotics industry.

Traditionally, robots were limited to executing pre-programmed commands and struggled with understanding natural language. However, the integration of advanced AI models has unlocked new capabilities, allowing robots to comprehend and act on human language instructions — ushering in what is broadly referred to as embodied intelligence, he said.

Wang Xingxing, CEO and founder of Unitree Robotics, is also optimistic about the commercialization of China's robotics industry, and predicted that within three to four years — certainly no more than five — the industry will experience its "iPhone moment".

Wang said this will be the point when humanoid robots become a staple in industrial and service sectors, driving a dramatic increase in production and adoption.

For now, while humanoid robots may still seem somewhat limited in their capabilities, the pace of development suggests that this perception will soon change.

Wang speculated that by the end of this year, we might see the first general-purpose robot AI model emerge, setting the stage for a new era of robotics.

Chen Jia, a researcher at the International Monetary Institute, which is part of Renmin University of China, said, "Humanoid robots will be an industry field with great growth potential in the next decade, driven by the latest technological advancements in AI."

Marina Bill, president of the International Federation of Robotics, said about 60,000 industrial robots were installed in China 10 years ago, and their number has gone up to 290,000 now. "Hardly any other country in the world has had that quick development."

China is by far the fastest-growing robot market in the world, with the highest number of annual installations, and it has had the largest operational stock of robots each year since 2016, according to the IFR.

"China's rapid growth shows the power of its investment so far, but it still has much greater potential in terms of automation," Bill said.

chengyu@chinadaily.com.cn