A wheeled bipedal robotic, TITA Robot, developed by Dongguan-based Direct Drive Technology, prepares for the robot off-road race in the playground in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu Province, on April 24, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of Direct Drive Technology

China's first Embodied Artificial Intelligence Robot Games kicked off in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu Province on Thursday, attracting more than 100 robot-related enterprises to participate in eight competitions that run until Saturday.
 
The games feature a multifaceted series of events, including competitions, exhibitions, carnivals and thematic conferences, the Chinese Institute of Electronics (CIE), the event's organizer, told the Global Times on Thursday. These competitions cover athletic events such as sprinting, cross-country running, football, basketball and dancing, as well as application-oriented contests such as material handling, intelligent grasping and indoor rescue scenarios.

Embodied intelligence is attracting global attention and is at a critical stage of technological breakthroughs and accelerated commercialization. "The competition is anticipated to serve as an excellent opportunity to test the technical level and product capabilities of 'made-in-China' robots, as well as their performance in practical application scenarios. The ultimate goal is to serve the development of enterprises and industries," Cong Xiaoquan, a CIE representative, told the Global Times on Thursday.

It aims to identify high-value technological achievements with market potential that can turn into new quality productive forces effectively, Cong said, adding that it will also allow the public to experience the development and trends of embodied intelligent robots, creating consumer-oriented and entertaining scenarios.

At this inaugural event, robots from leading manufacturers such as Unitree Robotics, Leju Robotics and UBTECH will compete on the same stage, during the contest sessions that are to start on Friday.

Direct Drive Technology, a Dongguan-based company that produces wheel-legged robots known for their fast and stable motion on roads, will participate in the robot off-road race, Lin Zhongyan, market director of the company, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

"In 2023, we launched our wheeled bipedal robotics TITA Robot, which can adapt to complex terrains, ensuring efficient movement and great balance ability. As the challenge sees robots kick off from a starting point, navigate grass, puddles, gravel and slopes, and dodge barriers and obstacles like cylinders and rectangles, this contest tests their skills in tough terrains, climbing slopes, and avoiding obstacles," Lin added.

Tian Feng, a former dean of Chinese artificial intelligence software giant SenseTime's Intelligence Industry Research Institute, told the Global Times on Thursday that the event, as the country's first comprehensive sports event for embodied intelligence and humanoid robots, "truly pushes robot competition from the 'laboratory' to the 'arena,' and it is expected to be a grand showcase of the latest advancements in embodied intelligence technology, as well as a testament to the industry's confidence."

The involvement of top-tier companies injects a wealth of technological and innovative elements into the sports event while fostering robust technical exchanges and collaboration in the embodied intelligent technology, Tian said.

For investors, this serves as a compelling indication of the vast potential for the robotics industry's rapid growth. It is anticipated to draw increased attention and investment from holders of capital, further promoting the large-scale development of the industry, he added.