Latest news with #WalkerS1
Borneo Post
17-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Humanoid robots poised to transform China's factory floor
A machinist debugs humanoid robots at Zhongguancun International Innovation Center, venue for the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference, in Beijing on March 27, 2025. – Xinhua photo HANGZHOU (May 18): Inside Zeekr's humming, 5G-enabled electric car factory in the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo, a new type of worker began its apprenticeship. One robot meticulously sorted components from a shelf, its fingers deftly peeling and applying labels. Nearby, two others coordinated to lift a box from a cart, placing it precisely onto a rack. When one's battery depleted, another autonomously approached to initiate charging. With a height of an average Chinese man, these UBTECH's Walker S1 humanoid robots offer a glimpse into the future of China's manufacturing sector – a new wave of automation promising to boost productivity while replenishing the shrinking pool of human workers. Go to factories Over the past few months, Chinese startup teams have been making waves on the global stage with robots that can perform impressive stunts such as dance routines, backflips and Tai Chi. Beyond the spotlight, however, some leading robotics firms have been focused on deploying them in factories for more practical jobs. They are joining the global race, led by Tesla Optimus, to integrate humanoid robots into manufacturing. Shanghai Kepler Robot Co Ltd recently released a video of its K2 humanoid robot working at a logistics plant. The robot skillfully navigated the factory floor, handling boxes, transporting goods and operating machinery. K2 is specifically designed to handle factory work. It has dual arms that can carry 30 kilograms, boasting an impressive eight-hour work cycle on a one-hour charge, said Hu Debo, CEO of Kepler, adding that the base price for its mass-produced version is only US$30,000. 'If a robot can perform a job as a human does and its cost is around 300,000 to 400,000 yuan (approximately US$41,000 to US$55,200), then it would be cost-effective enough to be deployed,' said Xu Jun, head of the innovation technology department at Geely, Zeekr's parent company. Humanoid robots initially found their application in China's automotive manufacturing sector, driven by the industry's high level of digitalisation. 'Automotive manufacturing is one of the most technologically advanced, intelligent, standardised, and data-driven fields in manufacturing, making it an ideal environment for humanoid robots,' said Xu. The robot density has hit 470 units per 10,000 workers in China's manufacturing industry. Over the coming years, the sector is expected to send more intelligent robots to the shop floor. UBTECH founder Zhou Jian announced that the firm's goal for this year is to manufacture approximately 1,000 humanoid robots, which are set to be deployed in real-world applications to collect more data. 'Application in the manufacturing sector is our priority,' Zhou said. Not about replacement China's push for humanoids stems from their potential to bridge the gap left by traditional industrial robots. While industrial robots excel in speed and load-bearing capacity with their pre-programmed, set-path motions, humanoids powered by AI-augmented learning boast greater adaptability. 'Moreover, the large size of industrial robots prevent them from accessing confined spaces like vehicle cabins,' explained Xu, adding that humanoids are not intended as replacements of earlier iterations of industrial robots. Additionally, the 'machine-for-human' transition in China's coastal manufacturing plants has proven to be less alarming than initially feared. 'What's really happening in our industry isn't that there are many people lining up to work in factories,' said Xu. 'The real problem is a labor shortage, especially when production scales up. We simply can't find enough workers.' 'Widespread use of humanoid robots could replace humans in hazardous, repetitive, and dull jobs, potentially solving future labor shortages,' said Xiong Rong, director of a humanoid robotics innovation center in Zhejiang. K2 can achieve the same level of output as 1.2 to 2 people in simple and repetitive factory tasks. 'Given the labor costs in the Yangtze River Delta, manufacturers can recoup their investment in this robot in just 1.5 to 1.8 years,' said Hu. However, humanoid robots still lag in efficiency for complex tasks. 'Their overall efficiency is about 70 per cent of skilled workers' and they cannot perform complex tasks like precision screw-tightening done by senior technicians,' said Leng Xiaokun, founder of Leju Robot. The Shenzhen-based firm has trained its robots in several automotive plants to perform box-handling and parts-sorting tasks. A Shanghai startup has sent its robots to a 'technical school'. In AgiBot's 4,000-square-meter space, scenes like restaurants, bubble tea shops, and homes are set up. Over a hundred data collectors, wearing VR glasses and holding controllers, are teaching robots daily chores like folding clothes, clearing dishes, cleaning tables and cashiering in supermarkets. Each action is repeated hundreds of times by the robots. 'Robots have to interact with tangible objects in a 3D world, as such data can't be obtained from the Internet,' said Peng Zhihui, AgiBot's co-founder. Meanwhile, the Beijing-based robotic firm Galbot is exploring an alternative training method: using synthetic simulation data to train robots. The startup has amassed tens of millions of scene data and billions of action data, according to its founder Wang He. Why in China? China is positioning itself as a powerhouse not just in developing these robots but also in creating an ecosystem for their deployment. It came as the country has been driving manufacturing digitalisation and intelligent transformation, aiming to leverage these technological upgrades to sustain economic growth. This year's government work report proposed advancing the 'AI Plus' initiative to integrate cutting-edge digital technologies with the nation's strong manufacturing base and vast market advantages. It has also planned to develop future industries like embodied intelligence and other next-gen technologies. At an industrial park in the southern tech hub of Shenzhen, the tightly-knit robotics ecosystem enables seamless collaboration. PaXini Tech supplies tactile sensors to nearby UBTECH, while DexForce streams simulation data directly to AI2Robotics for real-time AI training. A recent Morgan Stanley report, 'Humanoid Robot 100: Mapping the Humanoid Robot Value Chain', has highlighted that Asian companies constitute 73 per cent of the top 100 listed firms in this sector, with Chinese firms alone accounting for 56 per cent. China's startups are 'benefiting from established supply chains, local adoption opportunities and strong degrees of national government support', according to the report. Now, cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen have established substantial industry funds. In the first quarter of this year, over 50 embodied intelligence firms secured over 6 billion yuan in funding, according to data from IT Juzi, an emerging technology data provider. A key feature of China's electric vehicle industry is that it has integrated the consumer electronics supply chain, said Li Zexiang, founder of the XBot Park in the southern city of Dongguan. 'The embodied intelligence industry, exemplified by humanoid robots, is now following suit.' 'China has the potential to replicate the disruptive impact from the EV industry in the humanoid space,' Reyk Knuhtsen, analyst at SemiAnalysis, told CNBC. 'The influx of humanoid robots into factories will not only boost productivity but also create new industries, giving rise to new industrial chains and job opportunities,' said Xu. – Xinhua China factories robotics robots Xinhua Zeekr
South China Morning Post
28-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China's UBTech Robotics and appliance maker Midea push humanoids into factories, retail
Chinese humanoid robot company UBTech Robotics and home appliance giant Midea Group are accelerating the deployment of robotic workers in factories, as the country pushes for greater adoption of the technology. Advertisement UBTech has secured a buyer for a 'small batch' of its bipedal robots Walker S1 and Walker C, to be used 'for manufacturing needs and commercial hospitality in automobile factories', the company said in a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Sunday. The Shenzhen-based company did not disclose the buyer, but carmaker Dongfeng Liuqi Motor, a subsidiary of Dongfeng Motor Group in China's southern Guangxi region, announced last month that it planned to buy at least 20 UBTech Walker S1 robots for industrial use within 30 days. Guangzhou-based newspaper Southern Metropolis Daily reported on Sunday that Dongfeng was the UBTech buyer, citing an unnamed source. UBTech said it had received advance payment for the purchase. Standing 172cm tall, the Walker S1 is designed for industrial use, while the 163cm-tall Walker C is intended for service applications, according to the company. Midea, based in Foshan in southern Guangdong province, said on Sunday that it planned to put some self-developed humanoid robots, which move on wheels, to work at one of its smart factories in early May. By June, the robots are expected to be able to inspect product quality and connect to some home appliances, such as microwave ovens, steam ovens, refrigerators, washers and dryers, the company said on its official WeChat account. A production line of industrial robots seen at the Midea-Kuka Intelligent Manufacturing Science and Technology Park in Foshan on March 25. Photo: Xinhua Midea, which made a significant move into robotics in 2017 with its acquisition of German industrial robot maker Kuka, plans to have its humanoid robots, conducting equipment maintenance and factory examinations, as well as serve at some of its bricks-and-mortar retail outlets to introduce customers to its household appliances, distribute gifts and make coffee, according to the company.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Scary AI-powered swarm robots team up to build cars faster than ever
The automotive industry is undergoing a seismic shift driven by the integration of AI-powered humanoid robots into production lines. UBTech Robotics, in collaboration with Zeekr, has pioneered a groundbreaking initiative where swarm robots work together to build cars faster and more efficiently than ever before. But is this technological advancement a leap toward innovation or a step closer to human replacement? Stay protected & informed! Get security alerts & expert tech tips – sign up for Kurt's The CyberGuy Report now. Swarm Intelligence, inspired by collective behaviors in nature, is now being applied to robotics, enabling multiple humanoid robots to collaborate seamlessly on complex tasks. UBTech's Walker S1 robots are at the forefront of this revolution, operating in Zeekr's 5G-enabled smart factory. These robots are not just individual agents but part of a networked system that communicates and works in unison. Creepy Humanoid Robot Moves Using 1,000 Eerie Artificial Muscles BrainNet framework: UBTech's proprietary BrainNet software links cloud-based and on-device intelligence to form a "super brain" for high-level decision-making and a "sub-brain" for localized control. Multimodal reasoning model: This AI engine allows robots to analyze, schedule and coordinate tasks autonomously, adapting to dynamic industrial environments. Read On The Fox News App Collaborative capabilities: From sorting and handling heavy loads to precision assembly, these robots excel in tasks requiring dexterity and real-time decision-making. Malware Steals Bank Cards And Passwords From Millions Of Devices Chinese Humanoid Robot Lands World's First Front Flip These AI-powered robots are revolutionizing car manufacturing in several key areas. Let's take a closer look at how they're changing the game. Using advanced vision-based perception and hybrid decision-making systems, Walker S1 robots optimize sorting tasks by dynamically tracking targets and sharing intelligence across the swarm. Robots face challenges like uneven load distribution and complex trajectories. UBTech's joint planning system ensures stability and efficiency by enabling robots to adjust posture and force dynamically. In delicate tasks like handling deformable materials, Walker S1 robots utilize tactile sensing and adaptive control to ensure precision without damaging components. These capabilities have already been deployed in Zeekr's factory for tasks ranging from quality inspection to vehicle assembly, showcasing unparalleled efficiency and accuracy. China Launches Facility To Train 100-Plus Humanoid Robots Simultaneously Swarm Intelligence is not just limited to automotive manufacturing. Its applications span logistics, healthcare, agriculture and more. By decentralizing decision-making and optimizing resource allocation, swarm systems promise increased scalability and adaptability across industries. While the integration of humanoid robots offers numerous benefits, such as addressing labor shortages and enhancing production efficiency, it also raises concerns about job displacement. The question remains: How do we balance technological advancement with societal impact? Experts argue that these innovations could complement human workers rather than replace them entirely. Robots can take over repetitive or hazardous tasks, allowing humans to focus on more creative and strategic roles. However, careful planning is essential to ensure a constructive transition. Subscribe To Kurt's Youtube Channel For Quick Video Tips On How To Work All Of Your Tech Devices The automotive industry is really changing, with AI-powered robots taking center stage. UBTech and Zeekr are showing us how these robots can work together to make manufacturing faster and smarter. But as we get excited about these advancements, we also need to think about how they'll affect people's jobs. Let's hope we can find a way to make robots and humans work together seamlessly, rather than one replacing the other. As AI-powered robots increasingly take on complex tasks in car manufacturing, do you think the benefits of efficiency and precision outweigh the potential risks of job displacement, or are we trading human ingenuity for machine speed? Let us know by writing us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Alert: Malware steals bank cards and passwords from millions of devices. Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to cover. Follow Kurt on his social channels: Facebook YouTube Instagram Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions: What is the best way to protect your Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android devices from getting hacked? What is the best way to stay private, secure and anonymous while browsing the web? How can I get rid of robocalls with apps and data removal services? How do I remove my private data from the internet? New from Kurt: Try CyberGuy's new games (crosswords, word searches, trivia and more!) CyberGuy's exclusive coupons and deals Copyright 2025 All rights article source: Scary AI-powered swarm robots team up to build cars faster than ever
Fox News
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
Scary AI-powered swarm robots team up to build cars faster than ever
The automotive industry is undergoing a seismic shift driven by the integration of AI-powered humanoid robots into production lines. UBTech Robotics, in collaboration with Zeekr, has pioneered a groundbreaking initiative where swarm robots work together to build cars faster and more efficiently than ever before. But is this technological advancement a leap toward innovation or a step closer to human replacement? Swarm Intelligence, inspired by collective behaviors in nature, is now being applied to robotics, enabling multiple humanoid robots to collaborate seamlessly on complex tasks. UBTech's Walker S1 robots are at the forefront of this revolution, operating in Zeekr's 5G-enabled smart factory. These robots are not just individual agents but part of a networked system that communicates and works in unison. BrainNet framework: UBTech's proprietary BrainNet software links cloud-based and on-device intelligence to form a "super brain" for high-level decision-making and a "sub-brain" for localized control. Multimodal reasoning model: This AI engine allows robots to analyze, schedule and coordinate tasks autonomously, adapting to dynamic industrial environments. Collaborative capabilities: From sorting and handling heavy loads to precision assembly, these robots excel in tasks requiring dexterity and real-time decision-making. These AI-powered robots are revolutionizing car manufacturing in several key areas. Let's take a closer look at how they're changing the game. Using advanced vision-based perception and hybrid decision-making systems, Walker S1 robots optimize sorting tasks by dynamically tracking targets and sharing intelligence across the swarm. Robots face challenges like uneven load distribution and complex trajectories. UBTech's joint planning system ensures stability and efficiency by enabling robots to adjust posture and force dynamically. In delicate tasks like handling deformable materials, Walker S1 robots utilize tactile sensing and adaptive control to ensure precision without damaging components. These capabilities have already been deployed in Zeekr's factory for tasks ranging from quality inspection to vehicle assembly, showcasing unparalleled efficiency and accuracy. Swarm Intelligence is not just limited to automotive manufacturing. Its applications span logistics, healthcare, agriculture and more. By decentralizing decision-making and optimizing resource allocation, swarm systems promise increased scalability and adaptability across industries. While the integration of humanoid robots offers numerous benefits, such as addressing labor shortages and enhancing production efficiency, it also raises concerns about job displacement. The question remains: How do we balance technological advancement with societal impact? Experts argue that these innovations could complement human workers rather than replace them entirely. Robots can take over repetitive or hazardous tasks, allowing humans to focus on more creative and strategic roles. However, careful planning is essential to ensure a constructive transition. The automotive industry is really changing, with AI-powered robots taking center stage. UBTech and Zeekr are showing us how these robots can work together to make manufacturing faster and smarter. But as we get excited about these advancements, we also need to think about how they'll affect people's jobs. Let's hope we can find a way to make robots and humans work together seamlessly, rather than one replacing the other. As AI-powered robots increasingly take on complex tasks in car manufacturing, do you think the benefits of efficiency and precision outweigh the potential risks of job displacement, or are we trading human ingenuity for machine speed? Let us know by writing us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Alert: Malware steals bank cards and passwords from millions of devices. Follow Kurt on his social channels: Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Associated Press
03-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Unleashing Swarm Intelligence: UBTECH Pioneers the World's First Multi-Humanoid Robot Collaborative Training in Multi-Task, Multi-Scenario Settings at ZEEKR
SHENZHEN, China, March 3, 2025 /CNW/ -- UBTECH has successfully conducted the world's first collaborative practical training program for humanoid robots at ZEEKR's 5G Intelligent Factory, where multiple humanoid robots seamlessly collaborated across multi-task, multi-scenario industrial environments. This initiative represents a key advancement in developing a general-purpose Swarm Intelligence system for humanoid robots, marking a major leap from single-agent autonomy to Swarm Intelligence. As industrial automation progresses, production-line tasks present new challenges for humanoid robots, particularly in multi-humanoid robot collaboration. Advancing Swarm Intelligence is a critical step in enabling humanoid robots to operate effectively at scale. UBTECH's Walker S1 humanoid robots are pioneering this shift by deploying a networked cluster to explore how advanced embodied intelligence emerges through swarm behaviors and high-frequency interaction with the physical environment. To support this, UBTECH has developed BrainNet, a software framework for humanoid robot collaboration, and introduced the Internet of Humanoids (IoH), a centralized control hub serving as a blueprint for the software and hardware implementation of Swarm Intelligence. For humanoid robots to collaborate effectively, UBTECH's BrainNet framework links cloud-device collaborative inference nodes and skill nodes, forming a super brain and an intelligent sub-brain within the Swarm Intelligence system. The super brain, powered by a large reasoning multimodal model, enables intelligent hybrid decision-making and manages complex production-line tasks. The intelligent sub-brain, based on the Transformer model, integrates cross-field fusion perception and multi-robot collaborative control to support parallel distributed learning, accelerating skill generation and transfer. These innovations allow humanoid robots to move beyond individual task execution, enabling them to collaborate flexibly at the production-line level. This ensures efficient teamwork in complex industrial environments and paves the way for the next evolution of intelligent manufacturing. To address the high-dimensional decision-making demands of complex production-line tasks, UBTECH has developed the world's first large reasoning multimodal model for humanoid robots. As the core engine of the super brain, this AI system enables the continuous self-evolution of BrainNet, unlocking the full potential of Swarm Intelligence. Currently under development using DeepSeek-R1 deep reasoning technology, the model is being engineered to process data at scale and equip humanoid robots with human-like common-sense reasoning. It allows them to break down, schedule, and coordinate tasks autonomously, optimizing multi-robot collaboration in complex industrial workflows. UBTECH's multimodal reasoning model is trained on a high-quality industrial dataset accumulated from frontline practical training with the Walker S series across multiple automotive factories. By integrating multimodal features and leveraging Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) technology, the model adapts rapidly to specialized job functions, significantly improving decision-making accuracy, generalization across various workstations, and scalability for large-scale industrial deployment. UBTECH's humanoid robots have now entered Practical Training 2.0, marking their evolution from single-agent autonomy to Swarm Intelligence. At the ZEEKR 5G Intelligent Factory, dozens of Walker S1 humanoid robots have been deployed across complex production areas, including the final assembly workshop, SPS instrumentation zone, quality inspection area, and vehicle assembly station. Working in unison, these humanoid robots successfully executed collaborative sorting, collaborative handling, and precision assembly, demonstrating seamless multi-robot collaboration in real-world industrial settings. In the collaborative sorting phase, UBTECH's Walker S1 humanoid robots utilize cross-field pure vision-based perception technology and intelligent hybrid decision-making to optimize sorting tasks. Using pure vision-based cross-field perception, the robots continuously track dynamic targets across environments, enabling swarm collaboration through collective mapping and shared intelligence. The intelligent hybrid decision-making system, powered by a large reasoning multimodal model, integrates semantic VSLAM navigation and dexterous manipulation capabilities. This allows for dynamic task allocation between the cloud-based and on-device brain nodes, supporting a cloud-device collaborative decision-making process for Swarm Intelligence. In collaborative handling, humanoid robots may face significant challenges, including uneven load distribution, complex trajectory planning, and dynamic environmental adaptation. To address these, UBTECH has developed a joint planning and control system, enabling multi-robot collaboration in trajectory planning, load identification, and compliant control. This ensures robots dynamically adjust their posture and force during handling, significantly enhancing stability and efficiency when transporting large, heavy workpieces. In precision assembly process, Walker S1 robots demonstrate exceptional dexterous manipulation capabilities, particularly in handling deformable objects. When working with small and deformable film materials, Walker S1 utilizes high-precision sensing and adaptive control technologies to dynamically adjust its grasping force and posture. This ensures film objects remain undamaged and properly aligned throughout the assembly process. This innovation highlights the flexibility and reliability of UBTECH's humanoid robot, which is equipped with dexterous robotic hands with tactile sensing for complex industrial applications. Additionally, Walker S1 integrates vision-based global initial positioning with force-based secondary positioning via reinforcement learning to execute precision operation-based quality inspection tasks with unmatched accuracy and adaptability. UBTECH collaborates with leading industry players, including Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor, Geely Auto, FAW-Volkswagen Qingdao, Audi FAW, BYD, BAIC New Energy, Foxconn, and SF Express. The company's Walker S series humanoid robots are now deployed in more automotive factories worldwide than any other humanoid robot, having successfully completed the first phase of single-agent autonomous intelligence training. With the launch of Practical Training 2.0, UBTECH is accelerating its multi-humanoid robot collaborative training and AI model development to drive product and technology innovation. Beyond Geely Auto, UBTECH is expanding deployment to additional partner factories, further reinforcing the scalable adoption of humanoid robots in industrial applications.
