China’s ambitions in humanoid robotics can be traced back to the 863 Program launched in 1986 to advance the country in high-tech fields. The program set the foundation for future investments in research and development in the decades to come, especially during the 2000s.
Now, let’s look at how China’s robotic technology has evolved.
Xianxingzhe (2000)
China’s first bipedal humanoid robot was met with mockery. The National University of Defense Technology introduced Xianxingzhe, also known as Forerunner, in 2000.
It was designed primarily to overcome significant challenges in robotics at the time, including dynamic walking and balancing. The humanoid robot stood 1.4 m tall and weighed 20 kg.
Though it was a technological breakthrough for China, Xingxing Yi was the butt of jokes, particularly in Japan, in the media, and online. The robot was roasted for its crude design and limited capabilities in contrast to robots like Honda’s ASIMO and Sony’s QRIO.
The Japanese website Samurai Damashii parodied the robot heavily. The spoofs fixated on the robot’s groin area, depicting it as a military weapon in a fictional storyline. There was even an online game where players could interact with a fictionalized version of the robot.
Despite the mockery, Xianxingzhe played an important role in advancing China’s early humanoid robotics research. It offered just a glimpse of what was to come.
BHR-1 (2002)
China made another one of its early forays into humanoid robotics in 2000. That’s the year the Beijing Institute of Technology assembled a team led by Professor Jiang Hong to demonstrate that robots could be engineered to mimic human behavior.
In 2002, the team introduced the BHR-1, short for Beijing Humanoid Robot 1. It was China’s first full-scale bipedal robot without an external tether.
The BHR-1 mainly walked on its two legs, which was a big challenge at the time because of the complex control systems required.
BHR-2 (2005)
In 2005, the Beijing Institute introduced the BHR-2. This iteration featured improved walking capabilities and balance control. It could navigate more complex surfaces than its predecessor, including uneven terrains.
BHR-2 could walk, avoid obstacles, and perform complex movements like dancing and Tai Chi, all while maintaining its balance and coordination.
Meinü/Rong Cheng (2006)
The Meinü robot was introduced in 2006. The name translates to “Beautiful Woman Robot.”
A team of 10 researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Robot Research Center engineered the robot for roles such as a tour guide, receptionist, or even television host. It took about a year and 300,000 yuan to build the fembot. The team believed mass production could reduce costs significantly.
Also known as Rong Cheng, the robot employed a camera system to visually detect and avoid obstacles in its path. With its visual navigation and sensors, it could navigate autonomously around spaces.
It was showcased at the Sichuan Science and Technology Museum.
BHR-3 (2007)
The BHR-3, introduced in 2007, featured several key advancements, including its sensor system allowing it to better understand its surroundings and interact more effectively with its environment.
This made the BHR-3 more autonomous as there was increasing emphasis on artificial intelligence and robotics at the time.
RoboCup 2008
In 2008, the prestigious international robotics competition RoboCup was held in China for the first time.
The event, held in Suzhou, was a significant milestone for China’s growing robotics community. RoboCup 2008 showcased the nation’s evolving capabilities in robotics and artificial intelligence on the global stage.
RoboCup, launched in 1997, is an annual event that promotes research in robotics and AI through competitions. The main goal of RoboCup is to create a team of robots that can play soccer on their own and eventually beat the human World Cup champions by the middle of the 21st century.
BHR-4 (2009)
The Beijing Institute of Technology’s BHR-4 was introduced in 2009.
It was engineered with a strong focus on enhancing human interactions, with 46 movable joints, including 13 in its head, enabling detailed movements and facial expressions.
The robot stood 1.7 m tall and weighed 65 kg. The BHR-4 was designed to look human, helping researchers study how people interact with human-like robots.
The robot’s advanced sensors helped it perceive its environment for more precise movements and natural interactions. The robot was more autonomous than prior iterations, making decisions based on data and pre-programmed instructions.
BHR-4 helped Chinese researchers make breakthroughs in developing robots for social and service roles.
KeJia (2010s)
Introduced in the early 2010s, KeJia was notable for her abilities in decision-making and interacting with people. Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China designed the humanoid robot to help in public places like shopping malls. KeJia understood and responded to human speech with artificial intelligence.
The robot observed and reacted to dynamic environments using cameras. The Jia Jia robot won first place in the RoboCup @Home competition in 2014.
BHR-5 (2011)
In 2011, China took a big step forward in humanoid robotics with the Beijing Institute’s BHR-5. It was noted for its advanced manipulation and control.
The robot played table tennis, exhibiting quick reflexes, precise movement, and real-time decision-making. With its stereo vision system, the BHR-5 tracked the ball’s movement, predicted its trajectory, and planned its own motions accordingly. It served as a test bed for exploring complex motor skills in robotics.
Global Attention
In the 2010s, China’s progress in robotics began gaining international attention. A 2016 report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission raised alarms about how fast China was advancing its AI and robotics compared to other countries.
By that point, China was focused on pushing advanced AI and robotics technology into the future for industrial and military applications. There was also increasing emphasis on service robots.
The report predicted that robots would become more common in daily life, with normalized presence at home, in hospitals, and in factories.
It was suggested that China would lead in robot development, making smarter and more capable robots that could be manufactured at scale.
Jia Jia (2016)
Jia Jia, introduced in 2016, earned the moniker “Robot Goddess” with her lifelike appearance.
Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China designed her mouth to move in sync with her words for more realistic conversations. She also moved her eyes naturally. Jia Jia could talk to people, sometimes responding humorously.
BHR-6 (2017)
The sixth-generation BHR robot, introduced in 2017, featured significant advancements in multimodal movement and dexterity.
Designed for complex human-like motions, the robot could walk, crawl, and roll. It could stand up after falling, enhancing its abilities in unpredictable environments.
The BHR-6 robot used advanced bionic design for natural and precise movements, especially when handling objects and tasks needing dexterity.
UBTECH Walker (2018)
At CES 2018, UBTech Robotics introduced Walker, an advanced robotic helper for the home. It stood out for its advanced obstacle avoidance technology.
Its ability to dynamically map its environment and adjust its movements accordingly was at the cutting edge of robotics. The system integrated data from sources like cameras, LiDAR, infrared, and ultrasonic sensors, so the robot could understand its environment in real time.
Standing 1.4 m tall and weighing 177 kg, the Walker humanoid robot had 36 high-performance actuators for smooth and stable walking.
It could handle uneven terrains and automatically adjusted its center of gravity to maintain balance when it encountered obstacles.
Its hands, with 7 degrees of freedom, accurately interacted with dynamic objects. Using the Walker’s advanced perception system, it recognized faces and objects.
UBTech pitched Walker as a service robot capable of intuitive human-robot interactions. The company is actively developing the Walker robot for use in homes, but it’s mainly used for research and development purposes.
Xiaomi CyberOne (2022)
In 2022, Xiaomi entered the humanoid robotics market with the CyberOne. According to the multinational electronics company, the robot recognizes 45 human emotions with its advanced AI.
Standing almost 1.8 m and weighing 114 kg, the CyberOne recognizes faces, understands human speech, and interacts with people dynamically.
With its 3D vision, the CyberOne understands its surroundings and avoids obstacles in busy places like homes and offices. It walks at a pace of up to 3.6 km per hour, which is a bit slower than normal walking speed. It connects with Xiaomi smart home devices to act as an AI assistant to help manage household tasks.
Today’s Chinese Humanoids
Today, China’s humanoid robot ambitions are well noted.
The country continues making strides as it aims to mass-produce humanoid robots by 2025 and conquer the market by 2027. Chinese officials and business leaders want to nurture a few large-scale companies and create a cluster of specialized small and medium-sized enterprises.
At the 2024 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China showcased its first full-sized general-purpose humanoid robot, Qinglong. The open-source initiative is meant to drive innovation in the Chinese robotic sector. The humanoid robot can navigate different terrains, recognize and interact with objects and people, and manipulate objects with precision.
Unitree is also seen as disruptive with its $166,000 G1 humanoid robot, a pint-sized version of its full-scale humanoid robot, the H1.