Beijing promotes embodied AI robot applications in life scenarios

Innovative enterprises and local departments in Beijing have been actively promoting the application of embodied AI robots in various life scenarios.

Embodied AI refers to AI that is integrated into physical systems, which in this case enables a robot to fully interact with its surroundings. Under this case, the robot will automatically adjust its working method according to the dynamically changing environment, and such capability is an important criterion for robot practicality.

At a research and development center of Galbot, a cutting-edge startup building robot with embodied artificial general intelligence headquartered Beijing, a robot is accurately grabbing products from shelves according to instructions to complete sales.

The research team said that different scenarios will have different special needs during the implementation of robot mode, and in the simulated market, the robot analyzes instructions, scans shelves, and directly grabs products.

"We have empowered the robot with the capabilities of the embodied large model, enabling it to understand human instructions and complete various tasks in various scenarios, making it a general-purpose robot. For example, it can pick up goods in supermarkets, carry and sort boxes in factories, and fold clothes and clean up garbage to help you complete housework at home," said Wu Wentao, marketing director at Galbot. At present, the generalization training of the embodied large model is ready for practical application, according to Wu.

In the display scenes of unmanned convenience stores and pharmacies, the robot can grab a variety of bagged, bottled, fragile, and special-shaped goods, and only takes about 40 seconds from receiving and picking up orders to completing the grabbing and delivery of goods.

"Next, we will better empower large models with AI, and then enhance the robot's multimodal interaction capabilities. For example, in terms of voice, people can talk to the robot to learn about the product, such as brand, price, and shelf life, so as to optimize everyone's shopping experience," said Wu.

Meanwhile, at the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, a group of intelligent robot dogs have also been deployed into the local security patrol team with unmanned patrol vehicles.

The robot dog can adapt to extreme environments such as heavy rain and high temperature. Its modular design on the back supports the rapid installation of general tools such as explosion-proof equipment and gas detectors, and can flexibly respond to various tasks such as patrolling and bomb disposal, according to local staff.

"It is an intelligent robot dog with industrial-grade working capabilities. It can adapt to complex working conditions in the field, effectively making up for the shortcoming of unmanned patrol cars that cannot travel on unpaved roads and carry out effective inspection in internal spaces, outdoor gullies. Next, the robot dog patrol team will be connected to the city's smart system and combined with AI algorithms to make more contributions in daily behavior perception and fire prediction," said An Jialiang, a staff member at political and legal affairs department of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.

Beijing promotes embodied AI robot applications in life scenarios

Tiangong Ultra, an upgraded version of the China-made "Tiangong" humanoid robot, is currently undergoing tests in preparation for a half-marathon next month in Beijing.

The race, set for April 13 in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area in the capital city's southeast, will feature both robotic and human athletes competing on the same route but on separate tracks to ensure safety for all participants.

The competition is open to global robot companies, research institutes, robot clubs and universities. So far, 23 organizations have signed up for the competition.

Developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, Tiangong Ultra has a bigger size, longer legs, and a stronger hip compared to its old version. In addition, unlike Tiangong, which has two iron sheets as feet, Tiangong Ultra wears a pair of "shoes" to minimize impact on its feet and ankle joints from running, according to engineers at the center.

"Aside from upgrades to Tiangong's body and structure, we have also greatly improved its motion algorithm, strengthening its capabilities for gait planning, body coordination, and motion control," said Wei Jiaxing, director of branding and public relations at the center.

In a race between Tiangong and Tiangong Ultra, the upgraded version demonstrated larger strides, a more stable running form, and a significantly higher speed.

"Its highest speed can reach 12 kilometers per hour. Considering the stability and endurance of the Tiangong robot when running outdoors, we may slightly reduce the speed. But we are still very confident that it can complete the half marathon," Wei said.

Bolstered by strong capital investment, China' robotics industry is growing rapidly, with versatile applications becoming increasingly prominent across a wide range of fields, including industrial automation, healthcare and service industries.

According to a report on the humanoid robot industry released at the 2024 World AI Conference in Shanghai, China's humanoid robot market scale was approximately 2.76 billion yuan (about 381.28 million U.S. dollars) last year.

By 2029, it is expected to expand to 75 billion yuan (about 10.36 billion U.S. dollars), which would account for 32.7 percent of the global market.

Humanoid robot set to run Beijing half-marathon