Chinese humanoid robot’s martial-arts demo sparks skepticism

 

 

Chinese humanoid robot’s martial-arts demo sparks skepticism

Robot hình người Trung Quốc bị nghi ngờ vì chuyển động linh hoạt

The T800 humanoid robot, showcased in a video released on Dec. 3, performs a series of feats, such as breaking doors, throwing punches, and executing complex movements like jumping kicks and spins.

However, the robot's fluidity and speed led some viewers to suspect the footage was computer-generated, despite the video stating that it was shot on-site with "no speed up, no AIGC, no CGI," as reported by Interesting Engineering.

To address these doubts, the Shenzhen-based firm released behind-the-scenes footage the following day, showing the robot performing the movements both in the studio and outdoors. The company explained that the robot's agile movements are made possible by its 450 Nm torque at the joints and 29 degrees of freedom, confirming that the robot's performance relies on engineering rather than digital artistry.

 

 

Chinese humanoid robot’s martial-arts demo sparks skepticism

Robot hình người Trung Quốc bị nghi ngờ vì chuyển động linh hoạt

The T800 is a full-scale humanoid robot designed for combat. It stands at 1.73 meters, weighs 75 kilograms, and offers a five-hour battery life. The robot includes a multi-modal perception suite featuring 360-degree LiDAR, stereo vision sensors, and millisecond-level environmental processing for obstacle avoidance and situational awareness. Its high-power joint motors provide up to 450 Nm of torque, allowing advanced movements like flying kicks, capoeira-style rotations, and rapid directional shifts.

With four distinct editions, ranging from a basic torso-and-legs configuration to a high-end research platform powered by Nvidia’s latest silicon, the T800 starts at 180,000 yuan (about US$25,500), positioning it as one of the most accessible humanoid robots on the market, according to Humanoids Daily.

EngineAI is not the only Chinese robotics company facing questions about the authenticity of their products. In early November, Xpeng unveiled its latest humanoid robot, "Iron," at an AI Day event in Guangzhou. The robot's smooth movements were so convincing that employees had to slice open its synthetic skin to prove no humans were inside.

UBTech Robotics encountered even more skepticism when it released a video showing hundreds of its Walker S2 robots moving in sync. In response, the company released unedited behind-the-scenes footage. Tan Min, the brand director at UBTech, told South China Morning Post that the skepticism reflects "a lack of understanding" of China’s manufacturing strength and its advanced robotics ecosystem.