A team led by Professor Li Shiqi at the School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), achieved an impressive record of two golds, two silvers, and three bronzes at the 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games, which concluded on Aug 26 in Beijing.

The competition featured 666 teams from 16 countries across six continents, with 2,056 robots competed in the event.

The team conducted research and development at the Joint Lab of Embodied Intelligence and Industrial Robots under the HUST-Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics, where they developed algorithms, conducted simulation validations, and performed hardware testing to ensure their robots' success. The team competed in three events: tug-of-war, weightlifting, and pitch-pot (a traditional Chinese game).

In the tug-of-war event, which featured a 2v2 format, the emphasis was on dynamic center-of-gravity adjustments, foot-ground contact control, joint torque output, and dual-robot coordination. HUST's team swept the gold, silver, and bronze medals in this category.

The weightlifting event required robots to autonomously perform a series of actions, including stepping onto a platform, gripping a barbell, and holding it steady for two seconds while standing on two feet. The team’s robot lifted 16 kilograms, claiming gold, silver, and bronze. The technologies developed for this event are applicable in industrial handling, logistics, and emergency rescue scenarios.

The team secured bronze in the pitch-pot event, which tested visual perception, full-body coordination, and end-effector control precision. They focused on addressing challenges such as positioning errors, throwing force, and arm movement trajectory by conducting simulations and real-world adjustments to demonstrate dexterous manipulation solutions.

Source: School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, and News Center, HUST