The 2024 World Robot Conference in Beijing ed how China is adopting cheaper technologies to take a lead in the development of next-generation humanoid robots.
AI development company Wissen Technology of China ignored the traditional robotic machinery such as motors and reducers for humanoid production and relied on pneumatic artificial muscles, 3D-printed plastics, and other technologies available at much lower prices than their traditional counterparts. Adopting cheaper technologies helped Wissen develop robotic arms using ten times less money than traditional companies are paying.
One of Wissen’s investors, Cao Wei, stated that the company is presenting its cheaper robotic arms to global robotic companies that make humanoids.
However, using cheaper alternatives also comes with its own set of challenges. According to Yi Gang, who is a founder of another robotic company, Ti5 Robot, the industry is still grappling with reliability issues. Due to higher defect rates, they are forced to reduce their batch production rates to only 1,000 pieces at a time. Gang believes that a key machine, harmonic gear, is primarily responsible for decreasing production volumes.
The Chinese robotic revolution was inspired by President Xi Jinping’s vision, which urged the nation to mobilize the “new quality productive forces” for the country’s economic advantage. For the last 11 years, China has maintained its hegemony as the world’s largest market for industrial robots and has managed to transform traditional manufacturing, agriculture, education, and auto industries with robotics.
The country’s pursuit of manufacturing cheaper robots will further help it bring the operating costs of its manufacturing operations down to earn the badge of a more reliable manufacturing hub. Due to state censorship and ineffective labor laws in China, unchecked robotics development efforts often go unnoticed.
Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang spoke about the conference’s success, stating that the robotics sector has huge potential and that the president’s vision towards automation is critical for China’s success.
Qiang emphasized the importance of supply chain stability to ensure the reliability of robot manufacturing, adding that this stability will pave the way towards bringing robots into the mainstream.
Humanoid robots are mainly used in the Chinese industrial sector, but the availability of cheap products is now urging non-industrial sectors like medicine and hospitality to adopt the technology.
The five-day event attracted 169 robotic manufacturing companies, which displayed more than 600 products.
Some groundbreaking robots capable of making tea, playing with cats, cleaning homes, playing chess, delivering speeches, and performing many other notable tasks remained the highlight of the conference, which is supposed to take Chinese robotic discussions to new heights in the upcoming times.
