China recently concluded its first-ever World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, showcasing the advancements in robotics and the country’s ambition to dominate this emerging industry. The three-day robotics competition attracted a record 280 teams from 16 countries. Perhaps most importantly, the United States went out in full force, heralding an international love affair with humanoid technology.
Just look at China’s ambitious goals for the years to come! They’ll be organizing their second Olympics-style event for humanoid robots next August, overlapping with the first Competition. This move echoes with the nation’s aim of producing a $40 billion humanoid robot industry core by 2027. It further codifies the country’s position as the global leader in this quickly-changing space.
One such notable competitor was Unitree, a robot-creating company from Hangzhou that captured several gold, silver and bronze medals within the games. Unitree’s success positions it as a significant contender against Tesla’s Optimus.
Guo Tong programming one of the robots for his team, Hephaestus. His comments about humanoid robots gave me pause. He continued, “Our robots, for instance, have much improved joint strength and core strength. And with the rapid development of robotics, maybe even human athletes such as Cristiano Ronaldo by 2050.”
The competition consisted of a series of intense challenges put these robotic athletes through their paces. Contestants competed against one another in jaw-dropping dance battles. They further placed in field martial arts and multiple running / track events including the 400 meter run and 1500 meter run and long jump events. This was one of the most inventive challenges – it was a housekeeping task. In this case, robots needed to clean up waste in a mock hotel room.
In fact, according to Chinese robot designer Wang Xidong, such competitions are essential in cultivating the proper skills for the next generation of robotics. He shared, “We’re just making our robots better. I think everybody is inspired to be competitive here. Our developers understand that these competitions are an important and integral process in advancing and proving the performance of these robots. His sentiments illustrate this deeper realization in them.
Furthermore, at the event, it was underscored how much easier it is to coach robotic competitors than human counterparts. As Chinese Olympic boxer Li Yang put it, “Robots are easier to coach. Humans are emotional.” He pointed to a key advantage that robots have in controlled training spaces.
The global economy is moving full speed ahead toward a robotic future. China’s fierce determination to pursue this technology will define its economic future over the next few decades. It would seem the World Humanoid Robot Games are wildly successful. All this excitement does point to a glimmering future of competitors—and the industry as a whole.