China put its latest robotics technology to the test on Monday, 2 November, as nearly 90 teams gathered for the CMG World Robot Mount Tai Challenge in Tai’an, Shandong Province.
Humanoid, quadruped and exoskeleton robots tackled a 3.9km stretch of ancient mountain path, climbing 3,100 stone steps and gaining 600 metres in elevation. The route featured steep slopes, long stairways and sharp bends.
As spectators watched, the machines made their way up the mountain, with several reaching the finish line.
The challenge turned one of China’s best-known mountain routes into a testing ground for robotics.
Uneven stone steps and steep inclines tested the machines’ ability to maintain their balance and negotiate difficult terrain. Some quadruped robots also carried food supplies along the track.
The event brought together teams showcasing recent advances in research and engineering.