A support centre for humanoid robots named 'Robot Home' will open in Beijing on Thursday
A support centre for humanoid robots named 'Robot Home' will open in Beijing on Thursday, serving as a dedicated maintenance, charging and storage hub for the second World Humanoid Robot Games, which open on Saturday.
Robotics is no longer confined to laboratories; it is becoming part of everyday life. The establishment of specialised service centres like 'Robot Home' is not merely a logistical move but a step towards building the infrastructure of the future, where humans and machines interact in a shared space. Such centres allow teams to focus on competition rather than the mundane issues of their creations.
The Games, to be held from 22 to 26 August in Beijing, will feature over 2,000 robots from more than 600 teams representing 16 countries and regions, with the number of participating robots quadrupling compared with last year's Games. 'Robot Home' is an exclusive rest and repair station for all participating robots before and after competitions, where team members can quickly fix faults, recharge batteries and fine‑tune parameters, ensuring each robot remains in optimal condition for upcoming events.
"This has significantly solved the problem of battery life for our robots across various competitions," said Chen Jilong, captain of the Afu robotics team.
This year, the number of competition events has increased from 26 in the first edition to 51, the number of participating teams has risen from 280 to 666, and the robot count has reached 2,056. This growth places higher demands on event organisation and logistical support. "'Robot Home' is a kind of village for robots. It is an innovation and a highlight of this year's Games. Separate storage zones have been created for robots and batteries, with different movement routes for large and small robots, facilitating smooth entry and exit from the venues. This is a significant improvement over last year," said Guo Zhiguo, deputy director of the organising committee of the second World Humanoid Robot Games.
'Robot Home' covers an area of about 7,000 square metres. Its storage zone can accommodate about 2,000 robots simultaneously, while the charging area is equipped with 200 charging cabinets capable of charging 1,200 robot batteries at once. Special charging stations have also been installed around the training base, allowing robots involved in training, testing and preliminary competitions to charge nearby at any time.
The second World Humanoid Robot Games is the largest international event in robotics, showcasing the latest advances in artificial intelligence, mechatronics and autonomous systems. The fourfold increase in participants highlights the rapid development of the industry and the growing interest in such competitions, while the emergence of dedicated infrastructure like 'Robot Home' reflects the professionalisation and scaling of the event.
As CCTV+ reports, the creation of 'Robot Home' has become an important milestone in organising the Games, ensuring equal conditions and technical support for all participants. This innovation not only simplifies the work of the teams but also sets standards for future international competitions, strengthening China's position as a hub for robotics innovation.
