A six-legged robot dog independently developed by China recently completed a series of tests in the ice sheet area near Zhongshan Station in Antarctica, a breakthrough which marks an innovative step in using advanced technology for polar scientific research.
The robot dog demonstrated its ability to walk steadily on ice and snow while carrying a box on its back, without slipping or falling. Its stability is credited to a pair of specially designed shoes. According to the research team, these shoes were crafted to endure extreme temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius while preventing slippage and minimizing damage to the ice surface.
"The material of these shoes can withstand temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. Additionally, when they come into contact with the ice surface, the pressure becomes very low. This not only prevents slipping but also causes minimal damage to the ice surface, ensuring the robot dog can walk as if on flat ground," said Mao Shijie, head of the Antarctic six-legged robot team and director of Lenovo Research Institute's Shanghai branch.
Furthermore, the robot dog is equipped with a battery system that allows it to operate for up to two hours in temperatures ranging from minus 30 degrees Celsius to minus 40 degrees Celsius. In order to meet the demands of long-duration scientific expeditions, the team has developed a solution to extend its operating time.
"For scientific research needs, we require the robot dog to operate for more than four hours, such as performing ice surface detection. In such cases, we add two additional batteries to the robot dog, ensuring it can work for four to six hours," said Mao.
The robot dog is capable of carrying loads of about 70 to 100 kilograms and has already passed tests for walking on slippery ice while carrying weight. Its potential applications extend beyond transporting materials, as the research team plans to upgrade the robot to meet various expedition needs, including safety detection and research operations.
"One major concern for the expedition team is safety. When walking on the ice surface, ice crevasses are invisible, posing a significant challenge for people and vehicles exploring the polar interior. Another critical mission of the robot dog is to carry an ice crevasse detector and lead the team. This ensures that the areas it traverses are free of crevasses and safe," said Mao.
The data collected during these tests will help refine and improve the robot dog's design, enabling it to take on more advanced tasks.
"Patrolling is typically done through GPS positioning or visual navigation, but in Antarctica, neither is reliable. First, the geomagnetic environment in polar regions is very different, posing a great challenge. Additionally, the vast expanse of white snow makes visual navigation very difficult. To address this, we need to integrate new methods, such as combining gyroscopes and various sensors, to achieve autonomous positioning," said Mao.
The research team also plans to adapt the robot dog for even more complex tasks, such as underwater sampling at multiple points.By integrating the robot dog with underwater robots and drones, they aim to enable collaborative operations that will further enhance the capabilities of polar scientific expeditions.
China's six-legged robot dog passes Antarctic tests to facilitate polar research
China's six-legged robot dog passes Antarctic tests to facilitate polar research
Foreign diplomats and scholars are looking closely at this year's "two sessions", saying China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) will not only chart the nation's economic and technological priorities but also reshape global value chains.
The fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the nation's top political advisory body, opened on Wednesday, followed by the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC) on Thursday. Together known as the "two sessions," these meetings offer a comprehensive view into China's development priorities.
Global observers emphasized that the 15th Five-Year Plan, a blueprint guiding the nation's economic, social, and technological priorities over the next five years, marks a decisive shift toward high‑quality growth anchored in advanced technologies, with ripple effects across the world.
"The two sessions will discuss China's five-year plan, which is heavily oriented toward China's major technological development. I believe this is important because it represents the new blueprint for China's economy, which is now oriented toward the renowned high-quality development, and this will undoubtedly impact the entire world. I think it is worth studying. This is very important for Latin America. It will help us integrate more intelligently into global value chains and into all aspects of the major development that China is promoting in iconic industrial sectors, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and space development, where Latin America also has much to contribute beyond just commercial growth," said Gustavo Sabino Vaca Narvaja, former Argentine Ambassador to China.
"The two sessions are a major political milestone in China, and this year's gathering carries even greater significance as this year marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan. This plan represents not only a blueprint for China, but also a guide for other countries. Instruments like the five-year plan effectively provide greater certainty and predictability for the rest of the world," said Chilean scholar of international relations Ignacio Araya Heredia.
"This is a particularly important date, especially due to the fact that the next Five-Year Plan shall be positioned and we're going to see what its main elements shall be. Serbia, which has a very high degree of steel friendship with the People's Republic of China, can expect further assistance in identifying the most prominent areas of Serbian economy and being helped by its great partner, such as it has been done in the previous period, from one part with establishing the main infrastructure projects, but also reshaping the industrial sector of Serbia, not just Serbia, but the region as a whole," said Veljko Mijuskovic, assistant professor of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Belgrade.
Beyond the policy framework, experts also pointed to China's achievements in green energy and technological innovation as models worth emulating.
Tomasz Bielinski, adjunct professor at the University of Gdansk's Faculty of Economics, said the robotics displays at the 2026 China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala reflected China's broader push in technological innovation.
"I was really impressed about the robotics. I'm very impressed with Chinese development in the technological field, we can still make great deals with Chinese businessmen and we can cooperate together to use this technology for both the good of China and the European Union. I'm aware of the innovation especially in autonomous drive on the on the Chinese side," he said.
"We hope for more of China's economic cooperation, especially in trade and also in investment. Also, and the other focus, if I talk about the focus of the development, don't forget about the green energy. We know that China is great in the electric vehicle field. So because China's electric vehicles in Indonesia nowadays, since couple of years ago, are very, very popular," said Al Busyra Basnur, president of the Indonesia-China Friendship Association.
Observers see China's new five-year plan driving high-quality development, global tech shifts
