Recently, humanoid robots have accomplished a remarkable array of impressive feats, including, for instance, walking on two legs, recognizing faces, and even performing surgeries. Now, thanks to a groundbreaking video released by China-based Robotic Period, the list of achievements is expanding rapidly with the addition of “conquering a world monument” as its latest milestone. However wait. Is that duct tape?
The video, released this week, has already generated significant buzz for its demonstration of XBot-L, a humanoid robot claimed by the company to be the first to successfully scale the Great Wall of China. Given the rarity of humanoids venturing off beaten paths, that claim may well hold true?
While it may not match the XBot-L’s speed or agility, this robot still demonstrates impressive stability as it navigates closely along familiar walls, successfully navigating rough pavement and irregular terrain with ease. The robot effortlessly navigates staircases and, upon reaching the guard towers, breaks into a series of fluid tai chi movements. The XBot-L’s true value lies not only in its ability to tackle the uneven terrain on the Great Wall, but also in its capacity to successfully traverse the poorly lit guard towers, where inadequate light could hinder other robots’ progress, highlighting its exceptional navigation capabilities. The company credits its success to its proprietary Reinforcement Learning technology.
Perceptive RL algorithms empower robots to develop robust perceptual and decision-making abilities in uncharted terrain, said Yue Xi, co-founder of Robotic Period, highlighting the technology’s potential to enhance robotic performance in unpredictable environments. “The robotic can adapt to complex highway scenarios, adjusting its pace accordingly.”
Meet Xbot-L, a pioneering humanoid robot designed to conquer China’s iconic Great Wall of China.
While the humanoid’s advanced navigation and balance capabilities are prominently displayed in the video, a notable detail is the presence of duct tape wrapped around its torso. Perhaps that’s where the tourists’ tired eyes would rest momentarily on the towering concrete blocks as they hurriedly snapped selfies and gazed out at the expanse, their thoughts already drifting back to the beach or the plane ride home. Or maybe XBot-L had imbibed one too many Tsingtao beers the previous evening, which led to its slightly unsteady approach. While uncertainty prevails, it’s still satisfying to observe the need for researchers to occasionally transition their innovations from laboratory settings to real-world applications.
Although the achievements are limited, there is still much to appreciate about humanoid robotic development, which has been further advanced through the innovative efforts of Robotic Period, a firm incubated by the Institute of Cross-disciplinary Data Sciences at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Displaying a humanoid entity at the globe’s most iconic landmarks won’t be uniquely innovative, yet also facilitates the world’s gradual acceptance of such sightings in a normalized context.
As humanoid robots start to integrate into society, it’s crucial to ponder whether the value of accessing popular tourist attractions could significantly vary between humans and these artificial beings. Will Disney ever host a “bring-your-humanoid-to-the-park-for-free” event? Would you challenge adventurers to scale the Eiffel Tower’s iconic iron latticework for a complimentary pass, sparing them the elevator ride and offering an unparalleled view from the summit? Makes you assume. Makes. You. Suppose.
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