China's UBTech ships world’s 1st mass batch of humanoid robot workers

China’s UBTech Robotics has achieved a significant milestone by shipping the world’s first mass batch of humanoid robot workers, the Walker S2, to industrial facilities. Production ramped up in mid-November, and hundreds of units have already been delivered to partners needing automation on assembly lines. Orders for these humanoid robots have surged past 800 million yuan (approximately 113 million USD) in 2024, driven largely by major automakers such as BYD, Geely Auto, FAW Volkswagen, and Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor, as well as tech firms like Foxconn. These organizations are deploying the robots to enable continuous, 24-hour industrial operations with minimal human oversight. The Walker S2 robots are designed to mimic human movement with advanced joint articulation and precise finger control, capable of handling heavy items in real-world factory and warehouse environments. A key innovation of the Walker S2 is its autonomous battery swapping system, allowing the robot to replace its own power pack within minutes without human