Robotics Daily News: China's Humanoid Robots Surpass Human Soccer Teams in Popularity

China's Humanoid Robots Surpass Human Soccer Teams in Popularity

In Beijing, AI-driven humanoid robot soccer teams have captivated audiences, outshining China's national men's soccer team. The recent 3-on-3 robot soccer tournament showcased advanced AI technologies, including visual recognition and autonomous decision-making. Tsinghua University's THU Robotics emerged as the champion, defeating China Agricultural University's Mountain Sea team 5-3. This event highlights China's growing investment in AI-powered humanoid robots, using sports as a testing ground for real-world applications. (apnews.com)

UK's NHS Plans to Integrate Robotic Surgery in 10-Year Reform

UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced that robotic technology will be central to the government's forthcoming 10-year plan to reform the NHS. The plan aims to improve productivity and patient outcomes by mandating increased use of robot-assisted surgeries—targeting that one in eight operations will be robot-performed within a decade, up from the current one in sixty. Hospitals that do not adopt this technology risk financial penalties under an expanded 'best practice tariffs' system. (ft.com)

China's AI-Powered Humanoid Robots Aim to Transform Manufacturing

China is advancing its use of AI-powered humanoid robots to transform the manufacturing sector amid economic challenges like trade tensions, population decline, and slower growth. Startups like AgiBot and MagicLab, backed by government support, are deploying robots capable of performing complex tasks including assembly and quality control. The government provides significant subsidies, with over $20 billion allocated and municipal programs offering financial and operational benefits to robot firms. (reuters.com)

Hugging Face Acquires Pollen Robotics to Democratize Humanoid Robots

Hugging Face has acquired Pollen Robotics, a French startup that developed the humanoid robot Reachy 2. The acquisition aims to make robotics more accessible by open-sourcing the robot’s design and allowing developers to modify and improve its code. This move is expected to accelerate innovation and adoption in the field of humanoid robotics. (infoq.com)

South Korea Launches K-Humanoid Alliance to Boost Robotics Industry

South Korea has launched the K-Humanoid Alliance, a coalition of government, academic, and robot manufacturing companies, aiming to become a global leader in humanoid robotics by 2030. The alliance plans to develop a common AI model for robots by 2028 and a commercial humanoid robot capable of lifting objects weighing 20kg or more by 2028. The initiative reflects South Korea's commitment to advancing humanoid robotics and fostering industry growth. (en.wikipedia.org)