Humanoid Robots Take on the Tea Challenge in Fujian

Original article: Los robots humanoides se enfrentan al reto del té en Fujian

In the heart of China’s white tea region, the first real-world challenge of the 2026 Humanoid Robot World Games has begun.

On May 10, the initial stage of the «Energy Transfer» relay for the 2026 Humanoid Robot World Games officially commenced, not on a racetrack, but among the tea mountains of Fuding in Fujian province.

For a week, various teams of humanoid robots worked side by side with local tea masters. What was their mission? To have a robot experience the entire process of white tea production: from identifying and collecting the leaves to transporting loads across rugged terrain, carefully spreading the leaves for sun drying, and finally participating in the roasting and pressing of tea cakes.

This was not a laboratory demonstration, but a real field test deep in the tea-producing region of Fuding. Each step allowed for the collection of authentic data for general-purpose AI: the uneven slopes tested mobility, subtle differences between tea leaves posed challenges for visual recognition, and delicate picking movements pushed manual dexterity to the limit. These are problems that are never encountered in a factory but represent essential «core subjects» for humanoid robots to become truly useful in everyday life.

As the first comprehensive sporting event globally focused on humanoid robots, the Humanoid Robot World Games leverage the «Energy Transfer» initiative to implement cutting-edge technology in real cultural and productive environments. By forcing robots to tackle real tasks, the initiative accelerates the continuous improvement process, showcasing the service potential of humanoid robots and streamlining their integration into our work and daily lives.

CGTN Español