There is a current wave of innovation in humanoid robots, with numerous firms vying for market share with their prototypes. In line with major AI announcements at the 2024 Zhongguancun Forum, Beijing’s state-backed robotics innovation centre now displays its ground-breaking creation, the electric humanoid “Tiangong.”
Tiangong, created by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre Company, is a noteworthy development in humanoid robots. This versatile humanoid, standing 163 cm tall, has electric actuators that allow for smooth movement in every direction and a top speed of 3.73 miles per hour (6 kilometres per hour).
The robot combines a fast processing speed of 550 trillion operations per second with an advanced array of sensors for visual perception. Its 94.7-pound (43-kg) small weight guarantees stability in dynamic activities, and its State Memory-based Predictive Reinforcement Imitation Learning facilitates natural running motion.
Tiangong tackles fundamental motion control problems with its high-precision inertial measurements unit (IMU), 3D vision, and visual perception sensors. It is impressive how well it navigates stairs and hills, displaying improved flexibility with real-time gait change to recover from stumbles.
Tiangong represents China’s strategic drive to take the lead in this field and aligns with the country’s ambitious vision for developing humanoid robots. According to the plan, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology hopes to have humanoid robots in mass production by 2025 and equipped with cognitive and creative capacities by 2027.
Working with Beijing’s Economic and Technological Development Area, Tiangong sets the standard for an open-source methodology that sets it apart from competitors in the market. This effort promotes innovation and expands its commercial uses through collaboration between academic institutions and robotics enterprises. China’s humanoid robot industry is thriving with the help of several private companies, such as UBtech Robotics, LimX Dynamics, Fourier Intelligence, Astribot, and Unitree.
Furthermore, incorporating AI into daily life advances the development of humanoid robots, demonstrating China’s quick success in this game-changing field of technology.
