Hong Kong Launches First Embodied AI Lab for Humanoid Robots

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announced on Monday the establishment of the Hong Kong Embodied AI Lab. 

Developed through CUHK’s InnoHK Hong Kong Centre for Logistics Robotics (HKCLR), the facility represents the city’s first full-stack interactive robotics laboratory. Backed by a five-year roadmap, the facility aims to accelerate the translation of frontier research into industrial applications while training the next generation of tech talent.

The project aims to accelerate research in embodied AI while also speeding up the commercialization of robotics technologies for industries such as logistics, manufacturing, and services.

At the launch event, Winnie Chan, assistant commissioner for Innovation and Technology at Hong Kong’s Innovation and Technology Commission, described the project as “a timely reflection of our vision and dedication in AI and I&T development.”

“By bringing together academia and industry, and by focusing on real-world applications, I am confident that the Lab will serve as an important hub for collaboration, innovation, and technology transfer, accelerating the journey from research to real-world impact,” Chan said.

Robots for factories, logistics, and hazardous environments

The lab used the launch event to showcase several robotics systems already under development.

Among them was what CUHK described as Hong Kong’s first AI-powered dual-arm robotic platform, designed with multimodal sensors and mobile manipulation capabilities for home and service tasks.

Researchers also unveiled a lightweight robotic arm capable of “millimetre-level” precision despite weighing only 6 kilograms, alongside an all-terrain quadruped robot equipped with reinforcement learning-based motion control and visual navigation systems.

Professor Dou Qi, Associate Director of HKCLR, also highlighted a vision-language robotics model jointly developed by HKCLR and a CUHK research team. The work was recently published in the journal Science Robotics, according to the university. Some of the technology is already being deployed outside the lab.

A powerful cross-border industry network

To successfully commercialize its research, the lab has secured strategic partnerships with 24 industry partners, investors, and technology enterprises. The network draws heavily on mainland China’s robust tech ecosystem, featuring prominent robotics firms such as Shanghai-based AGIBOT, Hangzhou-based Deep Robotics, and Yushu Technology.

The alliance also includes Hong Kong-based entities, such as Lenovo’s Capital and Incubator Group, as well as international representation from Vietnam’s VinMotion. 

Professor Li explained that these corporate partners will provide crucial funding and low-cost robotic hardware to support the lab’s research and its long-term humanoid design goals.Also read: Figure’s Helix-powered humanoid robots worked more than 17 hours and handled over 22,000 packages in a warehouse-style test.