Robots dazzled at the first Embodied Intelligence Games in east China's Wuxi, held from Friday to Saturday, showcasing skills from chess mastery to mobility assistance, leaving visitors in awe.
Embodied intelligence robots refer to robots that combine artificial intelligence and robotics technologies. They can autonomously perceive, think, and act in real-world environments, similar to humans.
Visitors were amazed by the wide range of robots on display, including those capable of engaging in conversation, diving underwater, making coffee, and even grilling barbecue.
"In the past, robots capable of playing chess were mainly displayed in science museums, featuring large mechanical arms that could cost tens of thousands of yuan. However, with our algorithmic technology, we have realized this with such compact devices, reducing the price to the thousand-yuan range. Looking ahead, we plan to develop more robotic devices for household use," said Ma Kun, president of an intelligent technology company.
In addition to exploring the capabilities of robots, their developers are also focusing on real-world applications.
"Our current focus is on data collection and improving robotic reinforcement learning to accelerate the integration of robots into industrial operations and interactive environments," said Ruan Qiang, responsible person for the Jiangsu branch of a robot technology limited company.
As one of the first cities in China to be designated as a pilot for science and industry innovation, Wuxi has developed industrial cluster advantages in fields such as artificial intelligence and humanoid robots.
"Embodied intelligence, a new industry introduced this year, is a key part for industries in the future. By hosting this event, we aim to leverage it to better serve the enterprises and industries, while also advancing the development of technology and industry," Zhang Yuewei, deputy secretary-general of the World Robot Contest Organizing Committee.
Robots shine at 1st Embodied Intelligence Games with dazzling skills
Robots shine at 1st Embodied Intelligence Games with dazzling skills
China will take more effective measures to improve people's wellbeing, especially in education, healthcare, and social security, an official said Thursday in Beijing at a press conference on the interpretation of this year's government work report, which was submitted to the national legislature for deliberation earlier in the day.
Shen Danyang, head of the government work report drafting team and director of the State Council Research Office, said centering on enhancing educational equity and quality, the report made arrangements for education at all educational stages and of all types.
"Regarding preschool education, the policy of free education in the year prior to entering primary school will continue to be implemented this year, which is commonly referred to as free admission to the senior class of kindergartens. So, how can the income reduction of kindergartens be addressed? Subsidies will be provided by both the central and local governments, with the central government taking the lion's share. This year, the funds allocated to support the development of preschool education will increase significantly by 37.8 percent to ensure the implementation of the beneficial policy," he said.
Regarding senior high school education, Shen said the report stated that the supply of regular senior high school places will be increased,
Specifically, for areas with a continuous net inflow of population, a number of regular high schools will be planned and constructed on an annual basis. For regions with a temporary shortage of school places, priority will be given to the renovation and expansion of existing teaching buildings, student dormitories and canteens, he said.
Shen said the report put forward many supportive measures in healthcare.
"For instance, it urged efforts to strengthen coordination in drug use at the grassroots level, which mean improving the list of essential drugs, and optimizing the channels for drug supply and drug use coordination between upper- and lower-level medical and health institutions to make it more convenient for the public to use drugs at their doorstep. Besides, the report has made arrangements for supporting the development of innovative drugs for the third consecutive year. This year, China will strengthen the coordination of supportive policies in an all-round way, further address issues such as the barriers facing innovative drugs entering hospitals, and better meet the diverse medical and medication needs of the people," he said.
In terms of social security, Shen said the report proposed to continue raising the minimum standard of basic pensions for urban and rural residents -- a policy will benefit over 180 million elderly people.
"The central government will allocate 1.25 trillion yuan (about 181.25 billion U.S. dollars) in subsidy funds to ensure the timely and full payment of pensions. In response to the insufficient protection of the rights and interests of people engaging in new occupations, the report proposed to steadily and orderly expand the scale of the pilot program for occupational injury insurance. This year, the policy will cover 31 provincial-level regions across the country and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Meanwhile, enterprises specializing in travel, instant delivery and intra-city freight delivery will be included in the pilot program, which will ensure the safety of more laborers, such as food delivery workers and online car-hailing drivers," he said.
China to improve people's wellbeing in education, healthcare, social security: official
