China s dancing robots showcase rapid progress in robotics

Photo: youtube.com/@guardiannews, photo editor: Serikzhan Kovlanbayev

Humanoid robots performed coordinated dances, martial arts moves and acrobatics at China’s Spring Festival Gala this week. Their display drew widespread attention and showed how quickly the country’s robotics developers are advancing, according to The Guardian.

Several Chinese robotics firms developed these robots, which performed complex, synchronized routines without falling. This marks a clear improvement over past performances that had more limited movement. Analysts say that controlling many nearly identical humanoids with steady balance and coordination shows real progress in how these robots move and work together.

However, experts warn that stage performances do not mean the robots are ready for real industrial use. The routines were carefully trained and practiced, using imitation learning and balance control instead of real-time decision-making or awareness of their surroundings. Because of this, the robots’ performance does not show how reliable they would be in places like factories or public areas.

China’s robotics industry is growing quickly but is still in its early stages. By the end of 2024, more than 450,000 smart robotics companies were registered across the country, with total capital exceeding 6.4 trillion yuan, The Guardian said, citing official data. Sales of humanoid robots are expected to increase significantly over the next few years, but they are still small relative to other manufacturing sectors.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s Tesla announced it would unveil the third-generation Optimus this quarter, aiming to create a robot capable of performing factory work and assisting with household tasks.