China kicked off the World Humanoid Robot Games on Friday, a three-day sports showcase featuring 280 teams from 16 countries. The event, held in Beijing, aims to highlight progress in artificial intelligence and robotics.

Robots will compete in sports such as football, track and field, and table tennis. They will also take part in robot-specific challenges, including:

• Sorting medicines and handling materials
• Providing cleaning services

Organisers reported that 192 teams represent universities, while 88 come from private enterprises. Teams from the United States, Germany, and Brazil are participating, along with robots from Chinese companies including Unitree and Fourier.

The Beijing municipal government is among the organising bodies, reflecting the emphasis Chinese authorities place on the robotics industry. Officials have revealed that the sector received over $20 billion in government subsidies in the past year. Beijing also plans to set up a one trillion yuan ($137 billion) fund to support AI and robotics startups.

China has recently staged several robotics-related events. These include what it called the world’s first humanoid robot marathon in Beijing, a robot conference, and the opening of retail stores dedicated to humanoid robots.

Source: Reuters

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