China launched the “world’s first” free humanoid robot combat league in Shenzhen on Monday. Named the Ultimate Robot Knockout Legend (UKRL), the league will see various participants deploy EngineAI’s T800 robots, provided free of cost, El.kz reports citing Interesting Engineering.
According to a report by Global Times, the winning team will be awarded a gold championship belt worth $1.44 million (10 million yuan) by the event organizer. According to Chinese experts, such events highlight the country’s technological prowess and advancements in robotics, including their applications.
A humanoid designed for combat
EngineAI released the T800 humanoid early in December last year, with a video showcasing the robot performing clean, flawless combat moves, earning widespread praise online. According to the company’s website, the robot can perform martial arts moves such as side kicks and a 360-degree aerial rotation.
T800 features aviation-grade aluminum panels and a streamlined exterior, delivering durable, lightweight performance. It is equipped with an active cooling system between its leg joints, ensuring continuous high-intensity performance up to 4 hours with a solid-state lithium battery architecture.
The T800 humanoid is equipped with a multi-modal sensing system that combines 360-degree LiDAR, stereo cameras, and ultra-fast environmental processing to maintain real-time awareness of its surroundings and avoid obstacles.
Its high-performance joint motors deliver up to 450 Nm of torque, enabling dynamic maneuvers such as aerial kicks, spinning capoeira-inspired moves, and quick directional changes.
The test for the robots
According to Tian, hands-on combat testing in real-world environments can reduce technology development cycles by over 30% while speeding up validation of lab-based simulation results against real-world performance.
The event will, in particular, monitor several metrics, including motion control, dynamic balance, and impact resistance. Key components such as reducers, lead screws, and dexterous hand tendons will be thoroughly tested during this process.