Chinese humanoid robot strides into world record with three-day trek
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The 169cm AgiBot A2 set off from the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou on Nov 10, traversing highways and city streets before arriving in Shanghai.
PHOTO: GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
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SHANGHAI - A Chinese robot has stepped into the Guinness World Records after completing a three-day, 100km trek, the longest reported distance ever walked by a humanoid machine.
The 169cm AgiBot A2 set off from the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou on the evening of Nov 10, traversing highways and city streets before arriving at Shanghai’s historic waterfront Bund area on Nov 13, according to Guinness World Records.
Shanghai-based robot maker AgiBot said its two-legged ambler “navigated varied surfaces... all while adhering to traffic regulations” during its continuous 106.286km journey, which was certified as the first feat of its kind on Nov 20.
Video clips published by AgiBot showed the silver-and-black A2 trudging along a road past cyclists and scooters, before picking up its pace and marching down the Bund in front of the Shanghai skyline.
The world’s technology firms are pouring massive sums into physical artificial intelligence, with Morgan Stanley predicting that the world could have more than a billion humanoid robots by 2050.
The Chinese government has encouraged domestic firms to develop humanoids, in the hope of leading the global robotics sector.
Beijing hosted the world’s first-ever humanoid robot games in August, where more than 500 “athletes” vied in disciplines ranging from basketball to competitive cleaning.
AgiBot says the A2 is designed for customer service roles, and is equipped with a chat function and lip-reading capabilities. AFP
