Magic Atom, Qilang, and Pudu Unveil Humanoid Robots; Zhiyuan Robotics and Zhongneng Kunyu Secure Funding

04/03 2025 399

Editor: Member of the Embodied Learning Society

Magic Atom Introduces New Embodied AI 'Family Pack'

Magic Atom held the "Atomic Duality" 2025 Scenario Strategy Conference, unveiling humanoid and quadruped robots alongside the end-to-end "Atomic Vision Large Model." President Wu Changzheng revealed plans for mass-producing humanoid robots, stating, "We anticipate 400 humanoid robots entering industrial and commercial scenarios this year." Magic Atom also launched the "Thousand Scenarios Co-Creation Plan," aiming to expand to 1,000 partners and create 1,000 application scenarios for humanoid robots.

Magic Atom's humanoid robot "Xiaomai" has gradually increased its walking speed from 0.3m/s to a current continuous running speed of 2m/s. Its walking and running postures are becoming increasingly human-like, enabling it to adapt to various terrains such as roads, runways, grasslands, and hills. Xiaomai has signed up to participate in the Robot Marathon to be held in Beijing this April.

Magic Atom's quadruped robot "Maige" focuses on emotional interaction and multi-scenario service capabilities. Equipped with Magic Atom's proprietary emotional interaction system, it enables voice, vision, and touch-based multi-modal interactions, as well as dynamic skills like dancing and backflips.

The embodied AI large model, Atomic Vision, innovatively integrates a vision-language large model with an action expert system, constructing an industry-leading fast-slow dual-mode collaborative architecture. The "fast system," based on the action expert model, responds to environmental changes, ensuring the robot's rapid adaptation. The "slow system," based on the multi-modal large model, handles complex environmental understanding and long-term task planning.

Humanoid Robots Steal the Show at the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum

On March 27, the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Meeting opened in Beijing, themed "New Quality Productivity and Global Scientific and Technological Cooperation." The forum featured five major sections and 128 events, including forum meetings, technology transactions, achievement releases, cutting-edge competitions, and supporting activities. Over a thousand guests from over 100 countries and regions gathered to discuss cutting-edge technologies and future industry development. The forum will also release the top fifteen key directions for embodied AI and publish the White Paper on Embodied AI by the Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence.

Dynamic demonstrations of humanoid robots throughout the venue became the highlight of the forum. Nearly 100 representative robots from 15 enterprises showcased the deep integration of AI and new quality productivity through their intelligent services. These humanoid robots transformed into "intelligent volunteers," providing efficient and precise services in greeting, guiding, and consulting scenarios.

Companies in the embodied AI field, including Mianbi Intelligence, Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence, Yinhe General, Accelerated Evolution, and Lingbao CASBOT, all showcased the robust capabilities of their robots at the forum.

Qilang Intelligence Unveils Humanoid Robot Tailored for Service

To meet the complex needs of the service industry, Qilang Intelligence, leveraging extensive real-world scenario data, officially launched the "service-oriented" humanoid embodied service robot XMAN-R1, creating a collaborative ecosystem of multi-form embodied service robots.

Designed with "role-based, affinity, and safety" concepts, XMAN-R1 is suited for service industry scenarios that Qilang Intelligence has deeply cultivated. Currently, XMAN-R1 can complete the "ordering-serving-delivering-collecting" task loop in service scenarios and will explore more in the future. Role-based, XMAN-R1 learns service personnel's action logic and posture, integrating scenario requirements and role characteristics, from handing over items with both hands to mobile control, collaborating with Qilang's delivery and cleaning robots. To better integrate into service scenarios, XMAN-R1 references human proportions, breaking the mechanical feel and incorporating technology and stable design. Equipped with large language models, facial expression feedback, and other anthropomorphic interaction functions, it enhances service affinity.

Pudu Unveils New Humanoid Robot

Pudu Robotics released the commercial scenario humanoid embodied intelligent service robot Arm Box, developed by Pudu's innovation lab, Pudu X-Lab. This robot integrates mobile, operational, and interactive technology stacks based on Pudu's flagship dedicated commercial service robot Arm Box, possessing generalized operational capabilities and able to complete various tasks in diverse commercial scenarios such as hotels, buildings, catering, retail, and healthcare.

Zhiyuan Robotics Secures Tencent-Led Funding

Zhiyuan Robotics completed a new round of funding led by Tencent, marking Tencent's debut investment in the embodied AI sector. Follow-on investments came from industry players like Longqi Technology and Wolong Electric Drive, as well as existing shareholders. The company is also negotiating new rounds of financing at a valuation of 15 billion yuan. Additionally, Deng Taihua, former Vice President and President of Huawei's Computing Product Line, succeeded as Chairman and CEO of Zhiyuan Robotics, expected to accelerate technology commercialization. Zhiyuan Robotics has made rapid progress in product development and market promotion, initiating mass production of general-purpose robots and releasing its first general-purpose embodied base model. Tencent's foray into embodied AI and the joining of Huawei executives signify accelerated major company layouts in this field. Despite not manufacturing physical bodies, major companies have already infiltrated through multiple links.

Tashizhihang Sets Series A Funding Record with $120 Million

Tashizhihang received $120 million in Series A funding, setting a record for the largest Series A funding round in China's embodied AI sector. Hillhouse Capital participated in this round, with funds primarily allocated to product development, model training, and scenario expansion. Tashizhihang's core technology engine is the AI World Engine world model, pioneering the Human-Centric embodied data engine. With a breakthrough in obtaining embodied data from the real world, the company is committed to building a trustworthy super embodied AI system. The founding team, known as a "luxury dream team" in the industry, comprises members from Huawei, DJI, Baidu, and other major companies, bringing deep technical accumulation and rich industrial experience in embodied AI, autonomous driving, robotics, and other fields. They will lead the company in creating innovative embodied AI technological products.

Yuanli Lingji Secures 200 Million Yuan in Series A Funding

Yuanli Lingji completed a Series A funding round of 200 million yuan, with participation from Legend Capital, Jiukun Venture Capital, and Qiming Venture Partners, among others. The R&D team of Yuanli Lingji combines top academic backgrounds with over a decade of experience in AI native product landings. Its core founding team hails from Megvii, a renowned domestic AI company. (ECVCN)

Zhongneng Kunyu Secures Hundreds of Millions of Yuan in Pre-A Funding

Zhongneng Kunyu completed a Pre-A funding round with participation from Liding Capital, Hangzhou Industrial Investment Group, Xingtai Capital, and CCV. Founded by Dr. Bai Huiyuan, a former Alibaba vice president, Zhongneng Kunyu focuses on AI intelligent robots and has three major sub-brands: INFIFORCE, LIGHTFORCE, and UNIFORCE, specializing in intelligent robots, industrial AI applications, and robot brains, respectively, to build a globally leading embodied AI ecosystem.

Lens Technology Expands Its Network

Lens Technology stated on the investor interaction platform that it has already collaborated with leading humanoid robot companies in China and North America, establishing a dedicated team to research and develop modules and complete machine assembly for humanoid robot joints, dexterous hands, torsos, head casings, and expression masks. Specific details cannot be disclosed due to customer confidentiality requirements. (National Business Daily)

Audi FAW-Volkswagen Trials Youbianxuan Walker S1 at Its Production Base

Audi FAW-Volkswagen New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd. recently commenced pure electric vehicle production at its new advanced production base in Changchun, introducing Youbianxuan's industrial humanoid robot Walker S1 for the first time. Walker S1 is being used in a pilot project for quality processes during automobile production, performing tasks such as air conditioning leak detection.

Tobias Riebeck, Head of Engineering at Audi FAW-Volkswagen, commented, "Walker S1's technical maturity aligns perfectly with Audi's 'zero-defect production' philosophy. Its performance in restricted space operations and high-altitude inspection scenarios significantly reduces occupational health risks for employees." Currently, Audi is jointly exploring more workstation applications with Youbianxuan, including package handling and process material handling.

Xpeng Humanoid Robot Expected to Enter Mass Production Next Year

He Xiaopeng, Chairman of Xpeng Motors, stated that Xpeng's robot is expected to set a price and plan for mass production next year. Currently, Xpeng's Iron humanoid robot is already in use at the company's Guangzhou factory.

He Xiaopeng noted that if the integration of language and senses can be achieved in the next decade, robots will play a greater role in daily life and may even reach a level of human interaction. By 2026, humanoid robots with initial L3 capabilities will enter a stage of moderate-scale commercial mass production.

ByteDance Enters Embodied AI and Initiates Spring Recruitment 'Talent Grab'

During the 2025 spring recruitment season, internet giants have launched large-scale recruitment plans. ByteDance plans to hire 5,000 people for its spring recruitment, with 60% of positions in R&D and a 30% increase in demand for non-R&D positions. The company is also releasing positions related to natural language processing, computer vision, machine learning, robotics, and other fields, continuing its advancement into embodied AI and initiating a "talent grab" plan. In embodied AI, most of ByteDance's R&D positions focus on robot "algorithms," with approximately 10 positions. The job description for the SLAM deep learning algorithm engineer includes responsibilities for researching and developing robot localization technologies and algorithms. The robot motion control algorithm engineer's primary responsibilities include researching and developing algorithms for task decision-making, motion planning, and collaborative control of multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arms, as well as algorithms for safe autonomous obstacle avoidance, grasping operations, and more. The robot sensor system engineer is responsible for the embedded software and hardware development of sensors in robotics.

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