Humanoid robots should be able to "work in environments where people work and live, operate tools and equipment designed for humans, and communicate with humans."
Whether in science fiction novels or movies and TV shows, people have never stopped imagining the era of humanoid robots.
With the advancement of technology and its deepening application, the trend of cross-integration of robotics technologies is becoming increasingly clear. At the World Robot Conference in August this year, our reporter captured this profound trend and direction: humanoid robots have suddenly appeared like a spring breeze.
Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the "Guiding Opinions on the Innovative Development of Humanoid Robots," proposing that by 2025, my country's humanoid robot innovation system will be initially established, with breakthroughs in a number of key technologies such as "brain, cerebellum, and limbs," ensuring a safe and effective supply of core components; by 2027, the technological innovation capability of humanoid robots will be significantly improved, forming a safe and reliable industrial chain and supply chain system, building an internationally competitive industrial ecosystem, and achieving a comprehensive strength at the world's advanced level.
Humanoid robots integrate advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, high-end manufacturing, and new materials, and are expected to become disruptive products following computers, smartphones, and new energy vehicles. They have great development potential and broad application prospects, and represent a new track for future industries.
The "Guiding Opinions" outlines five key tasks: In terms of breakthroughs in key technologies, it focuses on developing the "brain" and "cerebellum" of humanoid robots, achieving breakthroughs in key "limb" technologies, and improving the technological innovation system. In terms of product development, it emphasizes creating complete robot products, strengthening basic components, and promoting software innovation. In terms of scenario expansion, it aims to serve the needs of specialized fields, create typical manufacturing scenarios, and accelerate promotion in areas related to people's livelihoods and key industries. In terms of ecosystem building, it seeks to cultivate high-quality enterprises, improve innovation platforms and the open-source environment, and promote industrial cluster development. In terms of supporting capabilities, it aims to improve the industry standard system, enhance testing and pilot-scale verification capabilities, and strengthen safety governance capabilities.
The "Guiding Opinions" also set up three special columns in conjunction with the task arrangements: key technology breakthroughs, key product and component breakthroughs, and expanding application scenarios, to ensure that all tasks are implemented effectively.
The guiding opinions are as follows:
Notice on Issuing the "Guiding Opinions on the Innovative Development of Humanoid Robots"
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Science and Technology Document No. 193 of 2023
To the industry and information technology authorities of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, cities with independent planning status, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and relevant industry associations, enterprises, and institutions:
The "Guiding Opinions on the Innovative Development of Humanoid Robots" are hereby issued to you. Please implement them conscientiously in light of your actual circumstances.
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
October 20, 2023
Guiding Opinions on the Innovative Development of Humanoid Robots
Humanoid robots, integrating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, high-end manufacturing, and new materials, are expected to become disruptive products following computers, smartphones, and new energy vehicles, profoundly transforming human production and lifestyles and reshaping the global industrial development landscape. Currently, humanoid robot technology is rapidly evolving, becoming a new high ground for technological competition, a new track for future industries, and a new engine for economic development, with great development potential and broad application prospects. To promote the high-quality development of the humanoid robot industry, cultivate new productive forces, empower new industrialization at a high level, and strongly support the construction of a modern industrial system, this guiding opinion is formulated.
Overall Approach
(I) Guiding Principles
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and thoroughly implementing the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress, we will fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, coordinate development and security, and take breakthroughs in artificial intelligence technologies such as large-scale models as the lead. Based on existing mature robot technologies, we will adhere to the path of application-driven development, whole-machine-driven development, software and hardware synergy, and ecosystem cultivation. We will adopt a technology-level, product-generation, and task-phased approach, leverage the advantages of a complete range of manufacturing categories, rich application scenarios, a large market size, and a new national system, and accelerate the innovative development of my country's humanoid robot industry to provide support for building a manufacturing powerhouse, a cyber powerhouse, and a digital China.
(II) Development Goals
By 2025, a preliminary innovation system for humanoid robots will be established, with breakthroughs achieved in key technologies such as "brain, cerebellum, and limbs," ensuring a safe and effective supply of core components. Complete robot products will reach international advanced levels and achieve mass production, demonstrating applications in special applications, manufacturing, and public services, while exploring effective governance mechanisms and methods. Two to three globally influential ecosystem-based enterprises and a number of specialized and innovative SMEs will be cultivated, along with two to three industrial development clusters, fostering and developing new businesses, models, and formats.
By 2027, the technological innovation capabilities of humanoid robots will be significantly enhanced, a safe and reliable industrial chain and supply chain system will be formed, an internationally competitive industrial ecosystem will be built, and the overall strength will reach the world's advanced level. The industry will accelerate its large-scale development, application scenarios will be enriched, and related products will be deeply integrated into the real economy, becoming an important new engine for economic growth.
Two breakthroughs in key technologies
(I) Creating the "brain" and "cerebellum" of a humanoid robot
Develop a humanoid robot "brain" based on a large-scale AI model to enhance environmental perception, behavior control, and human-computer interaction capabilities, and promote intelligent collaborative deployment across cloud and edge computing. Construct a large-scale model training database, innovate methods for automated data annotation, cleaning, and utilization, and expand high-quality multimodal data. Scientifically allocate computing power for humanoid robots to accelerate large-scale model training iteration and product application. Develop a "cerebellum" to control the humanoid robot's movement, build a motion control algorithm library, and establish a network control system architecture. For specific application scenarios, construct simulation systems and training environments to accelerate technology iteration and reduce innovation costs.
(II) Breakthrough in key technologies for "limbs"
Leveraging existing robotics technology, we will systematically deploy key technologies for "robotic limbs," innovate fundamental theories of human biomechanics, and develop humanoid robotic arms, dexterous hands, and legs. We will achieve breakthroughs in lightweight and rigid-flexible coupling design, whole-body coordinated motion control, and dexterous dynamic grasping operations. We will also tackle key technologies for "robotic bodies," achieving breakthroughs in lightweight skeletons, high-strength body structures, and high-precision sensing. Furthermore, we will develop highly integrated, long-endurance humanoid robot power units and energy management technologies.
(III) Improve the technological innovation system
To build a comprehensive technological innovation system for the humanoid robot manufacturing industry, we will compile lists of key technologies, materials, enterprises, manufacturing equipment, quality, standards, and key software, and precisely promote efforts to address weaknesses and strengthen strengths. We will support leading enterprises in forming innovation consortia that unite industry, academia, research, and application to strengthen research on key technologies and products, and pool resources to accelerate the innovation process. We will accelerate the integration of humanoid robots with cutting-edge technologies such as metaverse and brain-computer interfaces, and explore interdisciplinary and cross-domain innovation models.
| Column 1: Key Technology Breakthroughs |
| Key technologies for the "brain" of robots. Focusing on the perception and control of humanoid robots in dynamic open environments, breakthroughs are made in technologies such as end-to-end general-purpose large-scale model integrating perception, decision-making, and control; large-scale dataset management; cloud-edge-device integrated computing architecture; and multimodal perception and environmental modeling. These breakthroughs aim to improve the human-machine-environment co-interaction capabilities of humanoid robots and support their application in all scenarios. Key technologies for the "cerebellum" of robots. Addressing the needs of humanoid robots in navigating complex terrain and performing precise, coordinated full-body operations, this research focuses on key technologies such as high-fidelity system modeling and simulation, multibody dynamics modeling and online behavior control, representation of typical biomimetic motion behaviors, and autonomous learning of coordinated full-body motion. The aim is to enhance the robust, coordinated full-body movement, dexterous manipulation, and human-robot interaction capabilities of humanoid robots in unstructured environments. Key technologies for robotic limbs. Addressing the high dynamic, high burst, and high precision motion performance requirements of humanoid robots, this research focuses on fundamental theories such as human biomechanics and motion mechanisms, humanoid robot dynamics models and control, and breakthroughs in key technologies such as rigid-flexible coupling bionic transmission mechanisms, highly compact robot limb structures, and dexterous hand design, thus laying a solid hardware foundation for the flexible movement of humanoid robots. Key technologies for humanoid robot bodies. Addressing the requirements for high strength and compact structure in humanoid robot bodies, this research focuses on key technologies such as AI-driven skeletal structure topology optimization, high-strength lightweight new materials, additive manufacturing of complex body structures, integrated energy-structure-sensing design, and protection against harsh environments. The goal is to create humanoid robot body structures with high safety, high reliability, and high environmental adaptability. |
Three key products
(a) Creating complete machine products
We will develop a basic humanoid robot platform to support subsequent customized feature development. We will develop low-cost, interactive, high-precision, and high-reliability humanoid robots for various application scenarios. We will offer electric-driven, hydraulic-driven, or hybrid-driven humanoid robots to meet different power requirements. We will strengthen our mass production capabilities for humanoid robots and continuously improve the quality and reliability of our products.
(II) Strengthening the foundation components
Focusing on dedicated sensors for humanoid robots, we will break through key technologies for high-precision sensing such as vision, hearing, force, and smell to enhance comprehensive environmental perception capabilities. We will develop high-power-density actuators to meet the demands of rapid, high-precision movement and operation. We will develop dedicated chips for humanoid robots to improve computational efficiency in motion control and cognitive decision-making. In line with the development trends of new energy products, we will develop high-efficiency dedicated power components suitable for the characteristics of humanoid robots.
(III) Promoting Software Innovation
Develop a dedicated operating system for humanoid robots that boasts high real-time performance, high reliability, and high intelligence, promoting deep integration with technologies such as general-purpose large-scale models to provide a secure, stable, and user-friendly system platform. Develop application software for various scenarios, build a comprehensive humanoid robot application development platform and toolkit, and construct a rich ecosystem of software-enabled applications. Explore new "robots as a service" models to accelerate the low-cost, flexible deployment and application of humanoid robots.
| Column 2: Key Product and Component Breakthroughs |
| Basic version of the complete robot. This version focuses on the basic form and functions of a humanoid robot, including humanoid appearance, bipedal walking, and dexterous arm and hand manipulation. It establishes the basic hardware and software architecture for humanoid robots, creating a "public" universal platform that supports structural modifications, algorithm optimizations, and enhancements of specific capabilities for different scenarios. Functional Humanoid Robots. Develop low-cost interactive humanoid robots, enhancing their adaptability to human living environments and multimodal human-robot interaction capabilities. Develop high-precision humanoid robots, enhancing their upper limb operation capabilities, such as precise manipulation with both arms and hands, robust workpiece recognition, and intelligent trajectory planning. Develop highly reliable humanoid robots, enhancing their ability to survive in harsh environments, adapt to complex terrain, and withstand external impacts. Sensors. To meet the needs of complex environment perception, we develop visual sensors that integrate high-precision bionic eyes and brain-like processing algorithms, launch wide-frequency response and high-sensitivity bionic auditory sensors, develop high-resolution humanoid electronic skin with multi-point contact detection capabilities, and launch high-sensitivity bionic olfactory sensors for detecting various gases, thus forming a product portfolio of dedicated sensors for humanoid robots. Actuators. Addressing the high-volume movement demands of humanoid robots, we have made breakthroughs in high-power-density hydraulic servo actuators, creating a series of highly compact hydraulic motors, cylinders, pumps, valves, and integrated units. We have also made breakthroughs in high-precision electric drive actuators integrating high-torque-density reducers, high-power-density motors, and servo drives, creating electrically driven rotary joints and electric actuators. Controllers. To meet the demands of high-real-time coordinated motion control, we will develop dedicated chips with high-dynamic motion drive and high-speed communication capabilities, and create high-performance motion controllers integrating sensing, computing, and control. To address the cognitive and decision-making needs of humanoid robots, we will develop intelligent chips with multimodal spatial perception, behavior planning and modeling, and autonomous learning capabilities to enhance the coordinated control capabilities of humanoid robots. Power and Energy. To meet the high dynamic and long-endurance energy requirements of humanoid robots, we will make breakthroughs in key technologies such as high-energy-density batteries, intelligent power management, and optimized matching of battery packs, and develop high-efficiency and highly compact power and energy system products to improve the endurance and environmental adaptability of humanoid robots. |
Four-fold expansion of application scenarios
(a) Serving the needs of special fields
Accelerate the application of humanoid robots in special environments, addressing the needs of harsh conditions and hazardous scenarios. Enhance capabilities such as body control, rapid movement, and precise perception in complex environments to create highly reliable humanoid robot solutions for special application scenarios. For key location guarding scenarios, strengthen the humanoid robot's highly mobile and robust walking ability in complex terrain, as well as its situational awareness and intelligent decision-making capabilities. For special environments such as civil explosives and rescue operations, enhance the humanoid robot's body safety protection capabilities, intelligent generation of complex tasks, and high-precision operation capabilities to reduce the risks to workers.
(II) Creating typical manufacturing scenarios
Focusing on key manufacturing sectors such as 3C and automobiles, we will enhance the tool operation and task execution capabilities of humanoid robots, create demonstration production lines and factories for humanoid robots, and achieve in-depth application in typical manufacturing scenarios. For structured manufacturing processes, we will promote the application and widespread use of humanoid robots in assembly, transfer, inspection, and maintenance processes. For unstructured manufacturing processes, we will strengthen the collaborative interaction capabilities of humanoid robots with equipment, personnel, and the environment to support flexible and customized manufacturing.
(III) Accelerate the promotion of policies related to people's livelihood and key industries
Expand the application of humanoid robots in public service sectors such as healthcare and domestic services, focusing on improving the reliability and safety of human-machine interaction. Develop solutions with capabilities for guiding in complex areas, flexible operation, robust walking, and multimodal human-machine interaction to meet high-quality living needs such as health, companionship, and care. Promote the application of humanoid robots in key industries such as agriculture and logistics, enhancing their operational capabilities in human-machine interaction, dexterous grasping, sorting and handling, and intelligent delivery.
| Column 3 Expanding Application Scenarios |
| Conduct pilot demonstrations. Organize a challenge-based innovation program for humanoid robots to explore pathways and models for empowering the manufacturing industry, select outstanding achievements for pilot applications, and conduct regular evaluations. Driven by industry-specific scenarios, cultivate a number of high-quality solutions, select industry benchmark applications, and promote the implementation and application of new humanoid robot technologies and products. Strengthen supply and demand matching. Establish a humanoid robot-enabled supply and demand matching platform to guide traditional manufacturing enterprises and industrial parks to release their demands, and organize humanoid robot companies to provide precise service matching. Enhance collaboration across the industrial chain, strengthen mutual recognition of standards, product matching, and R&D collaboration under a unified national market, and accelerate market co-construction, resource sharing, and win-win cooperation. Accelerate the commercialization of research results. Establish a service platform for the industrialization of humanoid robot innovation achievements, build a number of humanoid robot achievement incubation and innovation centers, accelerate the transfer and application of common technologies, improve the engineering efficiency of humanoid robots, and promote the large-scale implementation of mature products and solutions. Hold an exhibition showcasing the achievements to promote exchange and cooperation between industry, academia, research, and application. Improve application mechanisms. Increase in-depth exploration of specific scenarios and large-scale promotion of common scenarios, and regularly select and publish lists and recommended directories of typical application scenarios. Encourage key industries and regions to proactively explore open application scenarios and develop new models, services, and business formats. Encourage enterprises to explore application-scenario-oriented technology innovation and R&D models, and strengthen the deep integration of technology and scenarios. |
Five, create an industrial ecosystem
(I) Cultivating high-quality enterprises
Strengthen the leading role of enterprises in innovation, cultivate leading humanoid robot companies with ecosystem dominance and global competitiveness, and drive the aggregation of industrial innovation resources. Increase support for high-quality enterprises in areas such as component matching, specialized integration, and scenario-based applications of humanoid robots, and stimulate the emergence of a number of specialized and innovative "little giant" enterprises, manufacturing single-item champion enterprises, and unicorn enterprises. Promote the integrated and collaborative development of large, medium, and small enterprises, create a favorable environment for enterprise growth, and build a safe and reliable industrial ecosystem.
(II) Improve innovation platforms and open source environment
Support the construction of key laboratories and manufacturing innovation centers for humanoid robots, bringing together the strengths of industry, academia, and research to enhance the supply capacity of key common technologies. Establish industry organizations such as the Humanoid Robotics 100-Person Association to promote technology exchange, supply and demand matching, and international cooperation, and deepen the integration of the innovation chain, industrial chain, capital chain, and talent chain. Build an open-source community for humanoid robots, promote the capacity building of open-source foundations, strengthen support for open-source projects of key enterprises, and gather global developers for collaborative innovation.
(III) Promote the clustered development of industries
Guide innovation elements in humanoid robots to converge in regions with a strong foundation and great potential. Based on local characteristics and industrial advantages, build incubators and industrial parks to create advantageous clusters with strong innovation capabilities and excellent application scenarios, promoting the clustered development of upstream and downstream industries. Construct an industrial collaborative ecosystem, promote cross-sectoral cooperation among companies in robotics, artificial intelligence, and new materials, conduct joint research on technological applications, enhance the ability to adapt and integrate software and hardware, and improve the resilience of the industrial and supply chains.
Sixth, strengthen support capabilities
(I) Improve the industry standard system
We will conduct research on a standardization roadmap for humanoid robots, comprehensively analyze the standardization needs of the industry chain, establish and improve the humanoid robot industry standard system, and promote the formulation of standards in a tiered and categorized manner. Focusing on key areas such as basic commonalities, system evaluation, safety and reliability, and industry applications, we will accelerate the development of national, industry, and group standards. We will conduct in-depth publicity and promotion of standards to facilitate their implementation. We will vigorously promote the internationalization of Chinese standards and actively participate in the formulation of international standards.
(II) Enhance testing and inspection capabilities and pilot-scale verification capabilities
Develop testing and inspection methods for humanoid robot products, establish a key indicator system for intelligence, reliability, and safety, and construct implementable, measurable, and scalable evaluation benchmarks. Establish authoritative testing and inspection institutions, improve supporting evaluation tools, and meet the testing and certification needs of enterprises and users. Support enterprises in collaborating with universities and research institutes to build humanoid robot pilot-scale verification platforms, strengthen hardware and software coupling adaptation, and provide services such as pilot-scale maturation, engineering development, process improvement, and software upgrades to accelerate the engineering implementation and industrial application of relevant technological achievements and promote product quality improvement.
(III) Strengthening security governance capabilities
Enhance the functional safety performance of humanoid robots to ensure that related technologies and products are friendly to humans and the environment. Strengthen cybersecurity protection and improve technical capabilities in information acquisition, data interaction, and data security. Enhance security risk assessment of key aspects such as the entire robot, critical components, core software, and algorithms to promote improved security capabilities. Deepen the assessment of ethical risks in science and technology, accelerate the research and formulation of relevant ethical standards and norms, and promote the coordinated development of technological innovation and ethical considerations.
Seven safeguard measures
(I) Strengthen overall planning and coordination
Strengthen inter-departmental collaboration to coordinate efforts in technological breakthroughs, industrial development, integrated applications, and safety governance, thereby promoting the integrated development of humanoid robots with fields such as artificial intelligence and robotics. Deepen central-local cooperation, optimize industrial layout, and encourage local governments to formulate targeted and feasible policies and measures based on their specific circumstances to promote technological innovation and industrial development of humanoid robots in accordance with local conditions.
(II) Improve industrial policies
Promote the implementation of the humanoid robot innovation project, increasing investment in key tasks such as specialized software, core components, complete machines, and application demonstrations. Leverage the driving role of the manufacturing transformation and upgrading fund to guide the active participation of industrial and financial capital. Make good use of the national industry-finance cooperation platform to support leading enterprises in listing and financing, promoting a virtuous cycle of "technology-industry-finance". Organize humanoid robot competitions, exhibitions, and other activities to stimulate innovation vitality across all sectors.
(III) Accelerate the introduction and cultivation of talent
Strengthen the training of professionals in humanoid robot-related disciplines, encourage cooperation between humanoid robot companies and universities, research institutions, and other organizations to innovate industry-academia-research collaborative training models, jointly cultivate interdisciplinary and multi-skilled talents and engineering talents, and enhance the supply of high-level talents. Strengthen vocational education and technical retraining to vigorously cultivate application-oriented talents for industry. Enhance overseas exchanges and recruitment of high-level talents, improve the talent service system, and ensure that talents can be attracted and retained.
(iv) Deepen exchanges and cooperation
Expand international cooperation in humanoid robots, gather global innovation resources, strengthen exchanges on industrial development, and encourage foreign enterprises and institutions to establish R&D centers and manufacturing bases in China to promote the internationalization of the industry. Encourage domestic enterprises to go global, promote new technologies and products to the international market, and expand transnational business. Deeply participate in the formulation of international rules and standards, and contribute Chinese wisdom to the development of the global humanoid robot industry.
This "Opinion" document provides a comprehensive plan for humanoid robot technology for the first time, including key technologies, applicable scenarios, and clear three- and five-year goals. More importantly, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has given a clear positioning for the humanoid robot industry.
Which technologies are crucial to the evolution of humanoid robot technology? The "Opinions" outlines four key areas: key technologies for the robot's "brain," key technologies for its "cerebellum," key technologies for its robotic limbs, and key technologies for its robotic body.
It is worth noting that the "Opinions" also explicitly require the cultivation of 2-3 globally influential ecosystem-based enterprises and a number of specialized and innovative SMEs, the creation of 2-3 industrial development clusters, and the fostering and development of a number of new businesses, new models, and new business formats. Furthermore, it requires focusing on key manufacturing sectors such as 3C and automobiles, enhancing the tool operation and task execution capabilities of humanoid robots, creating demonstration production lines and factories for humanoid robots, and achieving deep application in typical manufacturing scenarios.
Domestically, many manufacturers have recently unveiled humanoid robots. On October 24th, XPeng released its first humanoid robot, the PX5. The robot walked onto the stage and waved without assistance, completing its debut. Videos show that the XPeng humanoid robot can already perform actions such as obstacle crossing, playing soccer, riding a balance bike, pouring water, pulling tissues, and retrieving items.
On the same day, iFlytek also launched its humanoid robot at its 1024 Developer Festival. Back in January of last year, iFlytek launched the "iFlytek Super Brain 2030 Plan," its first long-term plan to enter the robotics field. According to this plan, by 2025-2030, it aims to create knowledgeable, learning, and evolving companion robots and autonomous learning virtual humans, enabling robots to interact and move, and promoting the entry of robots into homes.
BYD has invested in Logic Robotics, marking its first publicly disclosed investment in the humanoid robot field. Logic Robotics recently released its first-generation general-purpose humanoid bipedal robot, "Expedition A1." This 175cm tall, 53kg humanoid robot can participate in appearance inspection processes and assemble chassis, operating on busy automotive assembly lines. According to public information, Shanghai Logic Robotics Innovation Technology Co., Ltd. was established in February of this year, with a business scope including the research and development of intelligent robots, the development of artificial intelligence theory and algorithm software, the sales of artificial intelligence hardware, and the sales of electronic products.
At the same time, an increasing number of companies incubated by universities and research institutions are moving humanoid robots from the laboratory to commercial applications. One of the reasons behind this is the development of large-scale artificial intelligence modeling technology, which provides technical support for the industrialization of humanoid robots.
