Humanoid robot could recharge China’s manufacturing labour shortage

A Chinese robot maker has received over 500 orders from carmakers for an industrial humanoid robot, according to local media reports, in a development that may soon help ease China’s manufacturing labour shortage.

UBTech’s Walker S1, officially unveiled on Monday, has already begun training in factories, including those of the world’s largest electric vehicle maker BYD.

It works alongside other unmanned logistic vehicles and intelligent manufacturing management systems – reportedly the first in the world to do so – to automate large-scale operations.

Around 70 per cent of the workload in automated factories is currently handled by robotic arms, with the remainder performed by humans, said UBTech’s chief brand officer Tan Min in an interview with Beijing News’ Seashell Finance last month.

UBTech aims to replace about 20 per cent of the total workload with humanoid robots, leaving just 10 per cent for human workers, who will focus on collaboration and tool management, Tan added.

The development comes at a time Chinese manufacturers are struggling to meet labour shortages.