China unveils world's first robot that runs on its own and swaps batteries by itself
The firm, the first humanoid robot maker to list on the Hong Kong stock exchange, said in an X video last week its Walker S2 robot supported battery swap, making it the first of its kind in the world.
The video shows the robot walking over to a charging station, removing the battery from its back, inserting it into a charging dock, and installing a fresh one.
Local media reports suggest the robot monitors its power levels and swaps batteries when needed. The humanoid bot is equipped with power-balancing technology and a battery designed to plug in like a USB stick.
The company previously said it was collaborating with electric vehicle manufacturers like Nio and BYD to test and utilise its humanoid robots on production lines.
In February, an earlier version of the robot, Walker S1, participated in AI event LEAP 25 in Saudi Arabia, demonstrating it could perform multi-task functions like handling and sorting parcels.
The company, however, has not yet announced a target for large-scale production of Walker S2.
Shenzhen is home to over 1,600 robotics companies, which promote the use of robotics across China's industries.
China has risen to third on the list of countries using most robots in manufacturing, behind only South Korea and Singapore.
According to a 2024 report, China uses 470 robots per 10,000 employees, far surpassing powerhouses like Germany and Japan with, respectively, 429 and 419.
China has made significant strides in key robotics technologies such as motion control and high-performance servo drives
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