At the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing this August, spectators flocked to the unique display of emerging tech — robots sprinting at superhuman speeds and soaring to new records in the high jump. But perhaps more important for the future of mankind was the subdued training for mundane tasks people do every day.
In one sedate section of the convention hall, robots competed to make beds neatly, serve drinks without spilling and tidy rooms like Marie Kondo. One Chinese-designed humanoid hung laundry and folded clothes, then paused mid-chore to collect a package at the door before resuming laundry duty.
China, which has jumped out to a lead in humanoid robots for factories and warehouses, is now stepping up efforts to lead in the home too. One of the pioneers in the field is Dreame Technology, best known for robot vacuums that compete with the likes of Dyson?and iRobot’s Roomba.
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