China is expanding the World Humanoid Robot Games to validate the potential applications of humanoid robots in real-world industrial and daily settings. This year, the competition will not only include sports events like running and soccer but also increase the number of events set in actual work environments such as hotels, libraries, and emergency services to rigorously test the robots' operational capabilities.
According to Yonhap News, the second World Humanoid Robot Games opened on August 22 at the National Speed Skating Hall in Beijing and will run until August 26.
This year, 666 teams and 2,056 humanoid robots from 16 countries across six continents are participating. A total of 1,301 matches will take place across 51 events, marking a 138% increase in participating teams and a fourfold increase in the number of robots compared to last year.
Notably, the proportion of scenario-based events, which simulate real work environments, has significantly increased. Out of the 51 events, 30 are competitive events, while 21 are scenario-based. The number of scenario events has more than tripled from six last year.
These scenario events focus on practical applications in industries, hotels, homes, and logistics. They will assess robots' efficiency, accuracy, and reliability in tasks such as assembly, material handling, household services, firefighting, and library organization.
This year, some competitions will take place in actual settings rather than just in simulated environments. In Beijing's Chaoyang District, events in four categories—firefighting, hotel services, library management, and household services—will be conducted at real firefighting facilities, hotels, school libraries, and residential spaces. The Beijing city government explained that this approach aims to evaluate robots' capabilities in environmental awareness, task decomposition, and collaboration among hand, eye, and brain functions, rather than just performance metrics.
Additionally, events testing the precision capabilities of robotic hands have been enhanced. Robots will perform tasks such as measuring powder, picking up beans with tweezers, and opening bottle caps. The Beijing government views this as a process to validate the 'last 1 meter' of capabilities needed for humanoids to be deployed in real-world settings.
This shift reflects Beijing's strategy to utilize the robot games as a testing ground for verifying the practical industrial applications of humanoid technology beyond mere technical competitions. The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology has defined this year's event as a platform to showcase innovations in humanoid technology while promoting real-world applications and technological exchanges.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.