Hangzhou-based Deep Robotics debuts its bipedal humanoid robot DR01 at the World Robotics Conference, taking place from August 21 to 25 in Beijing. Photo: Handout

Chinese technology companies unveiled more than two dozen humanoid robots at an industry expo in Beijing this week, where Tesla’s Optimus was the only foreign competitor present, a sign of the mainland’s drive to dominate the field.

The five-day 2024 World Robot Conference, which concludes on Sunday, is the latest event in China to showcase the nation’s progress and ambitions in robotics. The show has attracted 400 industry experts and academics from the sector and more than 160 domestic and overseas robotics firms that exhibited more than 60 new products, including 27 Chinese-designed humanoid robots, according to the organisers.

While China is not considered a global leader in humanoid robots, hopes are high among mainland manufacturers that they can repeat the country’s international success found in the smartphone and electric vehicle sectors.

Deep Robotics, a Hangzhou-based company specialising in robot dogs that are often used in hazardous or challenging industrial environments, introduced the DR01, the company’s first humanoid robot, supported by sensors and autonomous learning capabilities.

Despite road slippage and external forces, the Deep Robotics DR01 robot walks steadily

At Deep Robotics' demonstration, the humanoid robot showcased stability and balance. It climbed stairs, walked over steel bars, and managed to maintain its balance and continue walking steadily despite being pushed, pulled, or attacked from behind.

Hussein Ibrahim Hamadi, the UAE Ambassador to China, and his delegation made a visit to the Deep Robotics booth to see the demonstration.

The DR01, developed by Deep Robotics, is an “AI plus” intelligent physical agent. Equipped with the firm’s proprietary lightweight J60 joints and high-power J100 joints, it boasts flexible movement capabilities, adapts to complex environments. It’s said that Deep Robotics will conduct a series of AI training sessions on the DR01 to advance the evolution and progress of "AI plus" intelligent agent technology.

Souce: South China Morning Post