More than 300 companies are attending the World Robot Conference in China. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) China’s robot makers are betting on a bigger future for humanoid and industrial robots. The are trying to convince investors and customers that the technology is ?moving forward for mass commercial adoption. More than 300 companies are taking part in the event, which runs through Sunday. According to a Reuters report, the conference features more than 2,000 exhibits and over 150 new product launches. The event comes at a time when robotics is becoming an important part of the technology competition between China and the US. Unitree, one of China’s best-known humanoid robot makers, saw its shares rise nearly six times during its Shanghai market debut on Wednesday, Reuters reported. Following the successful IPO, startup Lumos Robotics and Chery Automobile’s robotics division AiMOGA Robotics have also said they are considering stock market listings, according to Reuters. At the opening ceremony, Xin Guobin, vice minister at China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology told Reuters that robotics had become an important force' in the country’s economic and social development. However, China’s robot industry still faces a major challenge -- moving beyond trials and limited deployments to large-scale commercial use. Robots are already being used in areas such as logistics, factories and hotel food deliveries. Leju, an industrial humanoid robot company, told Reuters that its machines are being used in European factories and Chinese automobile plants for tasks including moving boxes and loading components. Another company Robotera displayed a humanoid robot designed for parcel sorting. A company representative told Reuters that the robot can run continuously for 900 to 1,000 hours and works at around 85 per cent of the efficiency of a human worker. Other companies showcased robots that can package smartphones, teach English and even giant robotic horses that people can ride. The rapid growth is being compared with China’s electric vehicle industry, where intense competition helped companies improve technology and reduce costs. Professionals & enthusiasts who write about politics to science, from economy to education, from local issues to national events and global affairs, t... View More