Unitree Robotics and X-Humanoid emerged as the biggest winners by medal count at Sunday’s conclusion of the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, signalling the rapid advances being made by China in this nascent sector.
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Hangzhou-based Unitree won a total of 11 medals including four golds in the three-day event, which saw 280 teams from 16 countries compete in 26 sports, including kickboxing. The firm’s H1 robots scored golds in four track-and-field events: the 400-metre dash, the 1,500-metre race, the 100-metre hurdles and the 4×100-metre sprint relay.
X-Humanoid, formally known as the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre, took home 10 medals with two golds. Its robots ruled the 100-metre race and the novel materials handling event – a competition designed to simulate real-life factory floor scenarios.
On the sidelines of the event, Unitree founder and CEO Wang Xingxing told local media that he expected the company’s humanoid robots to be able to run autonomously in future races. At present, most robot competitors are remotely controlled.
The performance of the two Chinese robot makers at the event reflects the progress being made in this sector, as the government has helped supercharge demand for humanoid robots in state-owned enterprises, while a number of manufacturers entered mass production this year.
“China has grown from a follower to a leader in this area,” IDC analyst Li Junlan said.