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Is China ahead of the curve when it comes advanced automated robots?

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ago in General Factchecking by (160 points)
edited ago by

Zeekr, chinas new energy vehicle manufacturer, introduced a humanoid robot, "Walker S," designed by UBTech Robotics, which they claim can carry 15 kg crates and navigate factory obstacles. This would mark a significant milestone. Former Vice-Minister Xu Xiaolan stated that humanoid robots "represent a new wave of tech innovation, this can potentially becoming as disruptive as smartphones and new energy vehicles, and heralding a future of human-robot collaboration in manufacturing." I personally dont believe it.

https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202409/09/WS66de4934a3103711928a6c6b_2.html

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ago by Newbie (220 points)

Believe it or not, this article seems to be accurately portraying the rise in humanoid machine use in factories, especially in China. The International Federation of Robotics (referenced in the article) says that China is at the forefront of the robotics industry with "276,288 industrial robots installed in 2023 represent 51% of the global installations" (IFR). Another one of their sources, Coherent Market Insights, is quoted in the article saying that the humanoid robot market is expected to reach 2.9 billion USD in 2024, specifically citing elderly care (Coherent Market Insights). They also specifically mention robot models currently on sale, including those from UBTech and Unitree, both of which have actual products on the market. These include the Walker S robot model from UBTech and the Unitree G1 model from Unitree (UB Tech Model)(UniTree model). However, how well these work in terms of replacing human workers is hard to prove. 

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