Humanoids in factories share knowledge as they learn

UBTech Robotics' Walker S1 humanoid robots work at Chinese automaker Geely's Zeekr 5G smart factory in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, in March. CHINA DAILY

In the sprawling assembly lines of Chinese automaker Geely's Zeekr 5G smart factory in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, a new generation of workers is quietly revolutionizing manufacturing.

Standing 172 centimeters tall with a sleek silver exterior, UBTech Robotics' Walker S1 humanoid robots glide between workstations, sorting materials, transporting cargo and installing components with precision. What once belonged to sci-fi movies is now reality, as humanoid robots are no longer lab curiosities, but full-fledged "employees" in China's smart factories.

The journey of UBTech's humanoids began long before their industrial debut. In 2016, the company's robots dazzled audiences during China's Spring Festival Gala, showcasing acrobatic dances. Later, they served as museum guides and exhibition hosts. Last month, a humanoid named Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, which is co-founded by UBTech, won the world's first half-marathon for bipedal machines.

"Humanoids represent the ultimate form of embodied intelligence. After a decade-long quest, our robots are moving from dance floors to factory floors," said Zhou Jian, founder of UBTech.

According to him, Walker S-series robots are now training at factories including Geely Auto, BYD, Foxconn and SF Express. "We've finally entered a new phase with over 500 units in potential orders for use in factories," Zhou said.

China's humanoid robotics sector is heating up, with over a dozen local governments, including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, establishing billion-yuan industrial funds. Meanwhile, viral videos of humanoid robots performing front flips, backflips, bicycle riding and other feats have frequently surfaced on social media in recent months. These high-difficulty maneuvers and human-like interactions are reshaping public perceptions of embodied intelligence.

In a market traditionally accustomed to robots from US companies such as Boston Dynamics, the global humanoid robotics industry is now being wowed by eye-catching innovations from Chinese companies.

On the list of 100 global humanoid robotics-related companies, which was recently released by United States investment bank Morgan Stanley, 37 are from China, including UBTech Robotics and BYD.

According to a Ministry of Industry and Information Technology guideline, China aims to build an innovation system for humanoid robots by 2025, with breakthroughs in key technologies to ensure the safe and effective supply of core components.

By 2027, China will see a secure and reliable industrial and supply chain system of humanoid robots, and related products will be deeply integrated into the real economy, the guideline added.

China has made rapid progress in robotics and artificial intelligence, said Qiao Hong, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"Over the past three years, China has accounted for more than half of the global installations of industrial robots, and its lunar exploration robots have successfully returned lunar soil samples," she said.

Qiao pointed to the development of humanoid robots as a particularly promising area, with China establishing a core foundation of technology for large-scale, cost-effective production of high-performance robotic systems.