Chinese Humanoid Factory Video Returns to the Uncanny Valley

A brief video circulating on social media today has stirred concern, as it offers a glimpse inside a Chinese factory producing humanoid robots. The video showcases a series of lifelike humanoids in various stages of construction, featuring remarkably realistic appearances with partially exposed synthetic skin.

The video, posted by the user ‘meimei4515,’ lacks attribution but displays several mobile androids sporting human-like hair and skin. This stark difference from the typical general-purpose humanoids we encounter lies in their intentional design to resemble robots rather than convincingly mimic humans.

Aesthetic Cyborgs, Detached Heads, and Synchronized Humanoid Arms

The scene showcases rows of aesthetically crafted cyborg women, stands displaying detached heads, and presenters with strikingly human-like features, clad in shirts and pants.

Additionally, a surreal display of a tree-like structure composed of humanoid arms, moving in synchronized gestures with their white-fingered hands, adds to the eerie atmosphere, resembling a more raw rendition of Westworld’s behind-the-scenes workshop.

The video begins with a statement in Chinese, roughly translating to “before this, the employees had already commenced mass production.” So, what exactly is depicted in the footage? It appears that the tree-like structure made of arms is the key identifier.

This structure has been previously showcased by the Chinese company ExRobots in exhibition displays. According to the company’s translated website, it specializes in developing “efficient and personable smart guide services for government agencies, medical institutions, and service retail industries.”

ExRobots’ Futuristic Exhibition

To showcase its products, ExRobots operates an ‘Ex Future Science and Technology Museum’ in Dalian city, which somewhat resembles a robotic version of Madame Tussaud’s wax museum, featuring animatronic figures like Einstein and Edison.

There seems to be no hesitation in embracing human-like allure, evident in the meticulous details of the female robots, including lifelike features such as goosebumps on their silicone leg skin.

Controlling Expressions and 3D Scanning at the Ex Future Science and Technology Museum

At the museum, visitors can interact with a humanoid head, controlling its facial expressions through motion capture technology. Additionally, there’s a revolving platform where visitors can stand for three minutes to undergo 3D scanning.

Subsequently, there seems to be a provision for 3D printing body parts, as demonstrated in a video by China Global Television Network. The objective is to showcase the company’s capability to create personalized animatronic mascots and presenters for corporate customers.

So, to clarify, the AI girlfriends you’re seeing aren’t exactly what they seem – they’re more like advanced animatronics, designed to catch your attention. But don’t fret, because the world of humanoid robotics is bustling with innovation in 2024.

Chinese companies like Unitree, UBTech/Baidu, Astribot, LimX, Kepler, and others are making significant progress in creating AI-powered robots capable of performing practical tasks.

China’s Advancements in Humanoid Robotics

Surprisingly, China isn’t far behind North American companies such as Tesla, Figure, Sanctuary, Agility, and Apptronik in this field. There’s also much anticipation surrounding Boston Dynamics’ next-generation Atlas robot, which swaps out hydraulic motors for electric actuators, promising movement abilities unlike any other humanoid robot we’ve seen before.

So, whether you’re drawn in by attention-grabbing viral videos or not, the humanoid revolution is gaining momentum in 2024. Paired with AI, it has the potential to reshape society in profound ways, marking a significant technological shift that few innovations have achieved before.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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