The practical capabilities of Chinese-made humanoid robots were demonstrated at an international competition, highlighting a fact Japanese companies cannot afford to overlook. The article’s central argument is that companies should focus on how the robots are being used in practice rather than judging them solely by footage from the field.
Attention tends to focus solely on footage of Chinese-made robots falling over or moving awkwardly, but the article argues that many such robots are already being used for practical purposes in markets around the world. It says companies should assess what role robots will play in factories and service settings 10 years from now.
The second World Humanoid Robot Games, held in Beijing in late August, brought together 666 teams and more than 2,000 robots from 16 countries and regions. While footage of robots falling over and moving clumsily attracted attention at the venue, many events placed a strong emphasis on practical tasks, testing how the robots could be deployed in workplaces.
More than 40% of the 51 events were not competitions but practical tasks involving factory assembly, logistics, serving, housework and disaster response. These results are regarded as an important indicator of the robots’ ability to perform in real-world settings, rather than merely as a show.