"Guiding Opinions on the Innovative Development of Humanoid Robots" Released

Release Date:2023 / 11 / 14

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently issued the "Guiding Opinions on the Innovative Development of Humanoid Robots," proposing that by 2025, my country's humanoid robot innovation system will be initially established, with breakthroughs achieved in a number of key technologies such as "brain," "cerebellum," and "limbs," ensuring a safe and effective supply of core components. Complete robot products will reach international advanced levels and achieve mass production, with demonstration applications in special, manufacturing, and public service scenarios, exploring and forming effective governance mechanisms and methods. The document also aims to cultivate 2-3 globally influential ecosystem-based enterprises and a number of specialized and innovative SMEs, create 2-3 industrial development clusters, and foster and develop a number of new businesses, new models, and new business formats. By 2027, the technological innovation capability of humanoid robots will be significantly improved, forming a safe and reliable industrial chain and supply chain system, building an internationally competitive industrial ecosystem, and achieving a comprehensive strength at the world's advanced level. The industry will accelerate its large-scale development, with richer application scenarios, and related products deeply integrated into the real economy, becoming an important new engine for economic growth.

Notice on Issuing the "Guiding Opinions on the Innovative Development of Humanoid Robots" (MIIT Science and Technology [2023] No. 193)

To the industry and information technology departments of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, cities under separate state planning, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; relevant industry associations, enterprises, and institutions:

The "Guiding Opinions on the Innovative Development of Humanoid Robots" is hereby issued to you. Please implement it conscientiously in light of your actual circumstances.

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology

October 20, 2023

Guiding Opinions on the Innovative Development of Humanoid Robots

Humanoid robots integrate advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, high-end manufacturing, and new materials. They are expected to become disruptive products following computers, smartphones, and new energy vehicles, profoundly changing human production and lifestyles and reshaping the global industrial development landscape. Currently, humanoid robot technology is rapidly evolving and has become a new high ground for technological competition, a new track for future industries, and a new engine for economic development, with great development potential and broad application prospects. To promote the high-quality development of the humanoid robot industry, cultivate new productive forces, empower new industrialization at a high level, and strongly support the construction of a modern industrial system, these guiding opinions are formulated.

I. Overall Approach

(I) Guiding Principles

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and thoroughly implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, we will fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, coordinate development and security, and take breakthroughs in artificial intelligence technologies such as large-scale models as the lead. Based on existing mature robot technologies, we will adhere to the path of application-driven development, whole-machine-driven development, software and hardware synergy, and ecosystem cultivation. We will adopt a technology-level, product-generation, and task-phased approach, leveraging the advantages of a complete manufacturing sector, rich application scenarios, a large market size, and a new national system to accelerate the innovative development of my country's humanoid robot industry, providing support for building a manufacturing powerhouse, a cyber powerhouse, and a digital China.

(II) Development Goals

By 2025, a preliminary humanoid robot innovation system will be established, with breakthroughs achieved in a number of key technologies such as "brain, cerebellum, and limbs," ensuring a safe and effective supply of core components. Complete robot products will reach international advanced levels and achieve mass production, demonstrating applications in special, manufacturing, and public service scenarios, and exploring effective governance mechanisms and methods. Cultivate 2-3 globally influential ecosystem-based enterprises and a number of specialized and innovative SMEs, create 2-3 industrial development clusters, and foster and develop a number of new businesses, new models, and new business formats.

By 2027, the technological innovation capabilities of humanoid robots will be significantly enhanced, a safe and reliable industrial chain and supply chain system will be formed, an internationally competitive industrial ecosystem will be built, and comprehensive strength will reach the world's advanced level. The industry will accelerate its large-scale development, application scenarios will be enriched, and related products will be deeply integrated into the real economy, becoming an important new engine for economic growth.

II. Breakthroughs in Key Technologies

(I) Building the "Brain" and "Cerebellum" of Humanoid Robots

Develop a humanoid robot "brain" based on a large artificial intelligence model to enhance environmental perception, behavior control, and human-computer interaction capabilities, and promote intelligent collaborative deployment at the cloud and edge. Construct a large model training database, innovate methods for automated data labeling, cleaning, and utilization, and expand high-quality multimodal data. Scientifically allocate humanoid robot computing power to accelerate large model training iteration and product application. Develop a "cerebellum" to control the movement of humanoid robots, build a motion control algorithm library, and establish a network control system architecture. (I) Developing Simulation Systems and Training Environments for Specific Application Scenarios to Accelerate Technological Iteration and Reduce Innovation Costs.

(II) Breakthroughs in Key "Limb" Technologies

Utilizing existing robotics technology, systematically deploy key technologies for "robotic limbs," innovate fundamental theories of human biomechanics, and develop humanoid robotic arms, dexterous hands, and legs. Breakthroughs will be made in lightweight and rigid-flexible coupling design, whole-body coordinated motion control, and dexterous grasping operations using the arm. Key technologies for the "robotic body" will be tackled, including breakthroughs in lightweight skeletons, high-strength body structures, and high-precision sensing. Highly integrated, long-endurance humanoid robot power units and energy management technologies will be developed.

(III) Improving the Technological Innovation System

A comprehensive technological innovation system for the humanoid robot manufacturing industry will be established. A list of key technologies, materials, enterprises, manufacturing equipment, quality, standards, and key software will be compiled to precisely address weaknesses and strengthen strengths. Leading enterprises will be supported in forming innovation consortia to strengthen key technology and product development, and to pool resources to accelerate the innovation process. Accelerate the integration of humanoid robots with cutting-edge technologies such as metaverse and brain-computer interfaces, and explore interdisciplinary and cross-domain innovation models.

III. Cultivating Key Products

(I) Developing Complete Robot Products

Developing a basic complete robot system to construct a general-purpose humanoid robot platform, supporting subsequent personalized function development. To meet the needs of different application scenarios, develop low-cost, interactive, high-precision, and highly reliable humanoid robot products suitable for extreme environments. For different power requirements, launch electrically driven, hydraulically driven, or hybrid-driven humanoid robots. Strengthen the mass production capabilities of humanoid robot systems and continuously improve the quality and reliability of complete products. (II) Strengthening Basic Components Focusing on dedicated sensors for humanoid robots, break through key technologies for high-precision sensing such as vision, hearing, force, and smell to enhance comprehensive environmental perception capabilities. Develop high-power-density actuators to meet the needs of high-burst movement and high-precision operation of the robot body. Develop dedicated chips for humanoid robots to improve computational efficiency in motion control, cognitive decision-making, etc. In conjunction with the development trend of new energy products, develop high-efficiency dedicated power components suitable for the characteristics of humanoid robots.

(III) Promoting Software Innovation

Construct a dedicated operating system for humanoid robots with high real-time performance, high reliability, and high intelligence, promote deep integration with technologies such as general-purpose large-scale models, and provide a secure, stable, and easy-to-use system platform. Develop application software for various scenarios, build and improve humanoid robot application development platforms and toolkits, and construct a rich software-enabled application ecosystem. Explore the new model of "Robot as a Service" to accelerate the low-cost and flexible deployment and application of humanoid robots.

Column 1 Key Technology Breakthroughs

Key Technology Cluster for the Robot's "Brain". Focusing on the perception and control of humanoid robots in dynamic open environments, breakthroughs will be made in technologies such as end-to-end general-purpose large-scale model integrating perception, decision-making, and control; large-scale dataset management; cloud-edge-device integrated computing architecture; and multimodal perception and environmental modeling. This will improve the human-machine-environment co-interaction capabilities of humanoid robots and support their application in all scenarios.

Key Technology Cluster for the Robot's "Cerebellum".

To meet the needs of humanoid robots in navigating complex terrain and performing precise, coordinated full-body operations, this research focuses on key technologies such as high-fidelity system modeling and simulation, multibody dynamics modeling and online behavior control, typical biomimetic motion behavior representation, and autonomous learning of coordinated full-body motion. This aims to improve the robust, coordinated full-body movement, dexterous manipulation, and human-robot interaction capabilities of humanoid robots in unstructured environments.

Key Technologies for Robotic Limbs. Addressing the high dynamic, high-explosive, and high-precision motion performance requirements of humanoid robots, this research studies fundamental theories such as human biomechanics and motion mechanisms, humanoid robot dynamics models and control. Breakthroughs are made in key technologies such as rigid-flexible coupling biomimetic transmission mechanisms, highly compact robot limb structures, and dexterous hand design, laying a solid hardware foundation for the flexible movement of humanoid robots.

Key Technologies for Robotic Bodies.

Addressing the high-strength and highly compact structural requirements of humanoid robots, this research focuses on key technologies such as AI-driven skeletal structure topology optimization, high-strength lightweight new materials, additive manufacturing of complex body structures, integrated energy-structure-sensing design, and protection against harsh environments. The aim is to create a humanoid robot body structure with high safety, high reliability, and high environmental adaptability.

Column 2: Key Products and Component Breakthroughs

Basic Version Complete Machine

Based on the fundamental form and function of humanoid robots—including humanoid appearance, bipedal walking, and dexterous arm and hand manipulation—this project establishes a basic hardware and software architecture for humanoid robots, creating a "public" universal platform to support structural modifications, algorithm optimizations, and specific capability enhancements for different scenarios. Functional Humanoid Robots: Develop low-cost interactive humanoid robots, enhancing their adaptability to human living environments and multimodal human-robot interaction capabilities. Develop high-precision humanoid robots, enhancing their upper limb operation capabilities such as precise arm and hand manipulation, robust workpiece recognition, and intelligent trajectory planning. Develop highly reliable humanoid robots, enhancing their ability to survive in harsh environments, adapt to complex terrain, and withstand external impacts. Sensors To meet the needs of complex environment perception, we will develop visual sensors integrating high-precision bionic eyes and brain-like processing algorithms; launch wide-frequency response, high-sensitivity bionic auditory sensors; develop high-resolution, multi-point contact detection capabilities for humanoid electronic skin; and launch highly sensitive bionic olfactory sensors for detecting various gases, forming a product portfolio of dedicated sensors for humanoid robots. Actuators. To meet the high-burst movement requirements of humanoid robots, we will break through the limitations of high-power-density hydraulic servo actuators, creating a series of highly compact hydraulic motors, cylinders, pumps, valves, and integrated units. We will also break through the limitations of high-torque-density reducers, high-power-density motors, servo drivers, and other integrated high-precision electric drive actuators, creating electric drive rotary joints and electric actuator products. Controllers. To meet the needs of high real-time coordinated motion control, we will develop dedicated chips with high-dynamic motion drive and high-speed communication functions, and create a high-performance motion controller integrating "sensing-computing-control". To address the cognitive and decision-making needs of humanoid robots, we will develop intelligent chips with multimodal spatial perception, behavioral planning modeling, and autonomous learning capabilities to enhance the coordinated control capabilities of humanoid robots. Power Energy. To address the high-dynamic, long-endurance energy requirements of humanoid robots, we will break through key technologies such as high-energy-density batteries, intelligent power management, and optimized battery pack matching to develop high-efficiency, highly compact power energy systems, thereby improving the endurance and environmental adaptability of humanoid robots.

IV. Expanding Application Scenarios

(I) Serving Special Field Needs

Accelerate the application of humanoid robots in special environments, addressing the needs of harsh conditions and dangerous scenarios, strengthening the robot's body control, rapid movement, and precise perception capabilities in complex environments, and creating highly reliable humanoid robot solutions for special application scenarios. For key location guarding scenarios, enhance the humanoid robot's highly mobile and robust walking ability in complex terrain, situational awareness, and intelligent decision-making capabilities. For special environments such as civil explosives and rescue, enhance the humanoid robot's body safety protection capabilities, intelligent generation of complex tasks, and high-precision operation capabilities, reducing the danger to workers. (II) Creating Typical Manufacturing Scenarios Focusing on key manufacturing sectors such as 3C and automobiles, we will enhance the tool operation and task execution capabilities of humanoid robots, create demonstration production lines and factories for humanoid robots, and achieve in-depth application in typical manufacturing scenarios. For structured manufacturing processes, we will promote the application and popularization of humanoid robots in assembly, transfer, testing, and maintenance processes. For unstructured manufacturing processes, we will strengthen the collaborative interaction capabilities of humanoid robots with equipment, personnel, and the environment to support flexible and customized manufacturing.

(III) Accelerating the Promotion in People's Livelihood and Key Industries

Expanding the application of humanoid robots in people's livelihood fields such as medical care and housekeeping, focusing on improving the reliability and safety of human-computer interaction, developing solutions with complex area guidance, flexible operation, robust walking, and multimodal human-computer interaction to meet the high-quality life needs such as life and health, companionship and care. Promoting the application of humanoid robots in key industries such as agriculture and logistics, improving the operational capabilities of human-computer interaction, dexterous grasping, sorting and handling, and intelligent delivery.

Column 3 Expanding Scenario Applications

Conducting pilot demonstrations. Organize a humanoid robot innovation task force to explore pathways and models for empowering the manufacturing industry, select outstanding achievements for pilot applications, and conduct regular evaluations. Driven by industry-specific scenarios, cultivate a number of high-quality solutions, select industry benchmark applications, and promote the implementation and application of new humanoid robot technologies and products. Strengthen supply and demand matching. Build a humanoid robot-enabled supply and demand matching platform to guide traditional manufacturing enterprises and industrial parks to release their demands, and organize humanoid robot companies to provide precise service matching. Strengthen upstream and downstream collaboration in the industrial chain, enhance standard mutual recognition, product matching, and R&D collaboration under a unified national market, and accelerate market co-construction, resource sharing, and win-win benefits. Accelerate the transformation of achievements. Build a humanoid robot innovation achievement industrialization service platform, establish a number of humanoid robot achievement incubation and innovation centers, accelerate the transfer and application of common technologies, improve the engineering efficiency of humanoid robots, and promote the large-scale implementation of mature products and solutions. Host an exhibition showcasing achievements in empowerment to promote exchange and cooperation between industry, academia, research, and application. Improve application mechanisms. Increase in-depth exploration of specific scenarios and large-scale promotion of common scenarios, and regularly select and release lists and recommended directories of typical application scenarios. Encourage key industries and regions to proactively explore open application scenarios and develop new models, new services, and new business formats. Encourage enterprises to explore technology innovation and R&D models oriented towards application scenarios and strengthen the deep integration of technology and scenarios.

V. Creating an Industrial Ecosystem

(I) Cultivating High-Quality Enterprises

Strengthen the leading role of enterprises in innovation, cultivate humanoid robot "chain leader" enterprises with ecological dominance and global competitiveness, and drive the aggregation of industrial innovation resources. For the component matching, specialized integration, and scenario-based applications of humanoid robots, increase the cultivation of high-quality enterprises, and stimulate the emergence of a number of specialized and innovative "little giant" enterprises, manufacturing single-item champion enterprises, and unicorn enterprises. Promote the integrated and coordinated development of large, medium, and small enterprises, create a favorable environment for enterprise growth, and build a safe and reliable industrial ecosystem. (II) Improve Innovation Platforms and Open Source Environment Support the construction of key laboratories for humanoid robots and manufacturing innovation centers, gather the strengths of industry, academia, and research, and enhance the supply capacity of key common technologies. Establish industry organizations such as the Humanoid Robotics 100-Person Association to promote technology exchange, supply and demand matching, and international cooperation, and deepen the integration of the innovation chain, industrial chain, capital chain, and talent chain. Build a humanoid robot open source community, promote the capacity building of open source foundations, strengthen support for open source projects of key enterprises, and gather global developers for collaborative innovation. (III) Promoting Industrial Cluster Development Guide humanoid robot innovation elements to converge in regions with a strong foundation and great potential. Based on local characteristics and industrial advantages, build incubators and industrial parks to create advantageous clusters with strong innovation capabilities and excellent application scenarios, promoting the cluster development of upstream and downstream industries. Construct an industrial collaborative ecosystem, promote cross-domain cooperation among enterprises in robotics, artificial intelligence, and new materials, conduct joint research on technological applications, enhance the ability to adapt and integrate software and hardware, and improve the resilience of the industrial and supply chains.

VI. Strengthening Support Capabilities

(I) Improving the Industry Standard System

Conduct research on the standardization roadmap for humanoid robots, comprehensively review the standardization needs of the industrial chain, establish and improve the humanoid robot industry standard system, and promote the formulation of standards in a tiered and categorized manner. Focusing on key areas such as basic commonalities, system evaluation, safety and reliability, and industry applications, accelerate the development of national standards, industry standards, and group standards. Conduct in-depth publicity and promotion of standards to facilitate their implementation. Vigorously promote the "going global" of Chinese standards and actively participate in the formulation of international standards.

(II) Enhancing Inspection, Testing, and Pilot Verification Capabilities

(II) Developing Inspection and Testing Methods for Humanoid Robot Products, Establishing Key Indicator Systems for Intelligence, Reliability, and Safety, and Constructing Implementable, Measurable, and Scalable Evaluation Benchmarks. Building authoritative inspection and testing institutions, improving supporting evaluation tools, and meeting the testing and certification needs of enterprises and users. Supporting enterprises in collaborating with universities and research institutes to build humanoid robot pilot verification platforms, strengthening hardware and software coupling adaptation, providing services such as pilot-scale maturation, engineering development, process improvement, and software upgrades, accelerating the engineering implementation and industrial application of relevant technological achievements, and promoting product quality improvement.

(III) Strengthening Safety Governance Capabilities

(III) Enhancing Safety Governance Capabilities

(III) Improving the Functional Safety Performance of Humanoid Robots to Ensure that Related Technological Products are Friendly to Humans and the Environment. Strengthen cybersecurity protection and improve technical support capabilities in information acquisition, data interaction, and data security. Strengthen security risk assessment of key aspects such as the entire machine, critical components, core software, and algorithms to promote enhanced security capabilities. Deepen the assessment of technological ethics risks, accelerate the research and formulation of relevant ethical standards and norms, and promote the coordinated development of technological innovation and technological ethics.

VII. Safeguard Measures

(I) Strengthen Overall Coordination

Strengthen inter-departmental coordination, coordinate and promote technological breakthroughs, industrial development, integrated applications, and security governance, and promote the integrated development of humanoid robots with artificial intelligence, robotics, and other fields. Deepen central-local cooperation, optimize industrial layout, and encourage local governments to formulate targeted and operable policies and measures based on their actual conditions to promote technological innovation and industrial development of humanoid robots in accordance with local circumstances. (II) Improve Industrial Policies Promote the implementation of the humanoid robot innovation project, and increase investment in key tasks such as specialized software, core components, complete machines, and application demonstrations. Leverage the driving role of the manufacturing transformation and upgrading fund, and guide industrial and financial capital to actively participate. Make good use of the national industry-finance cooperation platform, support leading enterprises to go public and raise funds, and promote the formation of a virtuous cycle of "technology-industry-finance". Organize humanoid robot competitions, exhibitions, and other activities to stimulate innovation vitality from all sectors. (III) Accelerating Talent Attraction and Cultivation Strengthen the training of professionals in humanoid robot-related disciplines, encourage cooperation between humanoid robot companies and universities, research institutes, etc., innovate industry-university-research collaborative training models, jointly cultivate interdisciplinary and composite talents and engineering talents, and enhance the supply of high-level talents. Strengthen vocational education and technical retraining, and vigorously cultivate application-oriented talents for industry. Strengthen the introduction of high-end talents through overseas exchanges, improve the talent service system, and ensure that talents can be attracted and retained. (IV) Deepening Exchange and Cooperation Expand the space for international cooperation in humanoid robots, gather global innovation resources, strengthen exchanges in industrial development, encourage foreign companies and institutions to establish R&D centers and manufacturing bases in China, and promote the international development of the industry. Encourage domestic enterprises to go global, promote new technologies and products to the international market, and expand transnational business. Deeply participate in the formulation of international rules and standards, contributing Chinese wisdom to the development of the global humanoid robot industry.

"Guiding Opinions on the Innovative Development of Humanoid Robots" Released

房企巨头进军新能源新赛道，目标是超越锂电池

2022年欧洲家庭储能系统安装量已超过42万套

电池市场风起云涌宁德时代“一哥”地位还稳吗

"Guiding Opinions on the Innovative Development of Humanoid Robots" Released

房企巨头进军新能源新赛道，目标是超越锂电池

2022年欧洲家庭储能系统安装量已超过42万套

电池市场风起云涌 宁德时代“一哥”地位还稳吗

电池市场风起云涌宁德时代“一哥”地位还稳吗