Shanghai makes great strides in intelligent robot industry

Photo shows humanoid robot GR-1 developed by Chinese tech firm Fourier Intelligent. (Photo from the official website of Fourier Intelligent)

In the exhibition hall of Chinese tech firm Fourier Intelligent in the Zhangjiang AI Robot Valley, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, a humanoid robot GR-1 was showcasing its abilities. The 1.65-meter-tall and 55-kilogram-weight robot could walk at a speed of 5 kilometers per hour and carry a load of up to 50 kilograms.

"The GR-1 has a highly biomimetic body structure and human-like motion control, enabling it to perform functions such as fast walking, agile obstacle avoidance, stable uphill and downhill movement, and resistance to impacts. It is an ideal carrier for general artificial intelligence (AI)," said Gu Jie, chairman of Fourier Intelligent.

The company focuses on the development of high-performance rehabilitation robots. It has only eight years of history, but has already launched over 30 product series that are now used in more than 2,000 medical institutions.

"We have shifted our focus from 'specialized robots' to 'general-purpose robots,' aiming at the future mainstream of the industry. Humanoid robots have a certain degree of versatility and they have enormous potential in various application scenarios such as industry, rehabilitation, home services, and scientific research. Through independent innovation, we have been able to produce key components such as joints domestically," Gu said.

Shanghai has made early and rapid progress in the development of the AI industry. Currently, there are over 350 AI enterprises above designated size in Shanghai, with a total output value of over 380 billion yuan ($53.6 billion), which is approximately three times of that five years ago.

Intelligent robots, involving advanced technologies such as AI, high-end manufacturing, and new materials, have become a new engine driving economic growth and a new frontier for technological competition.

Robotic arms assemble products in a workshop of Shanghai Junyi Industrial Automation Co., Ltd. (People's Daily Online/Jiang Huihui)

Shanghai is proactively cultivating intelligent robots in order to build new engines of growth and competitive strengths for the future.

In October this year, Shanghai released an action plan on promoting high-quality innovative development of the intelligent robot industry in the 2023-2025 period. The plan aims at building Shanghai into a globally influential innovation hub for the industry by 2025.

According to the plan, Shanghai will create 10 leading robot brands, establish 100 exemplary robot application scenarios, and expand the total value of robot-related industries to 100 billion yuan.

Furthermore, the plan includes the establishment of three public service platforms: an intelligent robotics testing and pilot verification innovation center, a humanoid robot manufacturing innovation center, and a general-purpose robotics research institute.

It also aims to achieve a density of 500 industrial robots per 10,000 workers in key manufacturing sectors, and will significantly enhance the depth and breadth of robot applications in industries.

Under the guidance of the plan, all districts in Shanghai are making concerted efforts to create a sound environment for the development of the intelligent robot industry.

At the Lingang Summit of the Shanghai Intelligent Robot Industry Conference held in Shanghai's Lingang Special Area on Nov. 14, the General Robot Industrial Research Institute and a Lingang robot industry base were officially unveiled.

Besides, an intelligent robot industry alliance was established in the area, and a group of high-level intelligent robot projects settled in. As a result, an intelligent robot industry ecosystem was initially formed in the area.

"Lingang Special Area is home to more than 150 core AI companies with over 5,000 research and development personnel. Around 40 industrial chain-related enterprises have gathered here, focusing on four major areas: general-purpose robots, industrial robots, service and special robots, and AI technology," said Wu Xiaohua, an official in Lingang Special Area.

Robots dance at the 2023 World Artificial Intelligence Conference held in Shanghai, July 6. (People's Daily Online/Wang Chu)

According to Wu, efforts will continue to be made in ten key fields such as whole robot manufacturing and AI chips, further strengthening the foundation for the development of the intelligent robot industry and building a demonstration area for intelligent robot applications.

Industrial data has a wide range of application needs in the field of intelligent industries, and it helps solidify the foundation of the intelligent robot industry.

To address the challenges of scattered and complex industrial data resources and long transaction chains, the Shanghai Data Exchange and Intsig, a leading tech company specializing in business data, artificial intelligence, and mobile applications, jointly established an industrial data innovation center on Nov. 25.

Through three innovative initiatives, namely, creating a new one-stop industrial data service link, building a new paradigm of on- and off-trading integration, and exploring cross-domain data integration projects, the center is committed to establishing a compliant, fair, and trustworthy data trading order and data commercialization ecosystem, turning industrial data from "resources" to "value."