China’s humanoid robot Adam nails Charleston dance in motion demo

China’s robotics firm PNDbotics has demonstrated significant advancements in humanoid robotics with its full-sized robot Adam performing the Charleston dance, a routine known for its demanding timing, balance, and coordination. Standing 1.6 meters tall and weighing 60 kilograms, Adam features 41 degrees of freedom and 25 patented quasi-direct-drive actuators capable of delivering up to 360 Nm of torque. These hardware innovations, combined with optimized trajectory-planning algorithms and a high-speed, low-latency control system, enable Adam to execute fluid, precise, and human-like movements with stability and expressiveness, including nuanced waist and wrist motions. The dance performance serves not just as entertainment but as a rigorous systems-level stress test, showcasing progress toward robots capable of complex, real-world tasks alongside humans. In addition to Adam, PNDbotics introduced Adam-U, a stationary humanoid platform designed for AI research and training, featuring 31 degrees of freedom, dexterous hands, and human-like perception through binocular