Chinese Robot Makers Prioritize Practical Design Over Humanoid Form at WRC
At the World Robot Conference (WRC) in Beijing, Chinese robotics companies showcased a shift from flashy humanoid demonstrations to practical, real-world applications. While Unitree Robotics attracted crowds with bipedal robots playing table tennis and fighting, other exhibitors like X Square Robot and AI2 Robotics presented wheeled robots designed for tasks such as parcel sorting, coffee making, and industrial loading. Yang Li, senior engineer at X Square Robot, questioned the necessity of legs if wheels suffice. In a controlled test, X Square Robot's WALL-B model sorted 1,816 packages in an hour, outperforming Figure AI's bipedal Figure 03, which handled 1,248 parcels per hour. AI2 Robotics demonstrated a wheeled robot with interchangeable end effectors, using a gripper and a dexterous hand for different tasks. The industry trend emphasizes efficiency and practicality over humanoid aesthetics.
Key facts
- At the WRC in Beijing, Chinese robotics firms highlighted practical designs over humanoid robots.
- Unitree Robotics showcased bipedal robots playing table tennis and fighting.
- X Square Robot's wheeled WALL-B model sorted 1,816 packages in an hour, outperforming Figure AI's bipedal Figure 03.
- Yang Li, senior engineer at X Square Robot, questioned the need for legs if wheels are sufficient.
- AI2 Robotics demonstrated a wheeled robot making coffee and ice cream with interchangeable end effectors.
- The industry is shifting from flashy demonstrations to real-world deployment.
- Many robots at the conference used wheels instead of legs and had conventional robotic arms.
- The test results were from a controlled hour-long test conducted this month.
Entities
Artists
- Yang Li
Institutions
- Unitree Robotics
- X Square Robot
- Figure AI
- AI2 Robotics
- World Robot Conference
Locations
- Beijing
- China