UBTech humanoid robots to patrol China-Vietnam border crossings

UBTech Robotics, one of China’s top robot manufacturers, said on Tuesday it had secured a major contract to deploy humanoids at border crossings to perform tasks such as guiding travellers, conducting inspections and handling logistics, as the country intensified efforts to apply robotics in the real world.

The company has struck a 264 million yuan (US$37 million) deal with a humanoid robot centre in Fangchenggang, a coastal city in the southern autonomous region of Guangxi, which shares a border with Vietnam. The project features the industrial-grade Walker S2, a model launched in July that was billed as the world’s first humanoid robot capable of replacing its own battery.

The pilot initiative would see humanoid robots deployed at borders to assist with traveller guidance, personnel flow management, patrols, logistics operations and commercial services. The robots would also conduct inspections at manufacturing sites for steel, copper and aluminium. Deliveries are expected to begin in December.

Cumulative orders for the Walker series, which started shipping this month, totalled 1.1 billion yuan so far, according to UBTech.

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The company was on target to deliver 500 industrial humanoid robots by year-end, with plans to increase production tenfold by next year, aiming for 10,000 units by 2027, said chief branding officer Michael Tam in an interview with the Post. The company also aimed to reduce manufacturing costs.

UBTech’s shares fell less than 1 per cent to HK$110.60 on Tuesday, following the announcement of a share placement plan to raise HK$3.11 billion (US$399.6 million) in Hong Kong.

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