On December 12, the 2024 (7th) Mobile Robotics (AGV/AMR) Industry Development Summit, 2nd Mobile Robotics Procurement Managers Summit, and Humanoid Robotics Application Ecosystem Summit officially began in Suzhou. The event was hosted by the Mobile Robotics (AGV/AMR) Industry Alliance and the Humanoid Robotics Application Alliance, organized by New Strategy Mobile Robotics Media and Research Institute, and cohosted by Chengdu Chenghua Economic Development Zone and Hefei Zhongguancun Collaborative Industry Development Co., Ltd.
Theme: “Strength in Humility, Returning to Simplicity”
Inspired by Tao Te Ching, the theme encourages a return to fundamental principles amidst global and domestic changes. It emphasizes understanding industry patterns, combining them with current realities, and crafting adaptive strategies. The industry’s rapid technological advancements, emerging applications, and global expansion face challenges like economic downturns and cyclical market shifts. Rediscovering core values and reshaping the ecosystem are pivotal.
Over 1,000 participants from more than 700 enterprises attended the summit, exploring the current state and future trajectory of the mobile robotics industry.
Opening Ceremony
Zhang Lei, Chairman of the Mobile Robotics Industry Alliance
Zhang highlighted the significant progress achieved by the alliance and emphasized the importance of collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to highend breakthroughs to secure a resilient industry position.
Liu Dengyin, Vice Secretary of CPC Baohe District Committee & Vice President of USTC Advanced Technology Institute
Liu detailed Baohe District’s strong innovation ecosystem, featuring 30+ research institutes, and pledged over ¥1 billion annually for tech transformation and seedstage project growth.
Market Insights and Technological Trends
Siasun: The Development and Integration of Future Mobile Robot Technologies
Image: Zhang Lei, Chairman of the CMR Industry Alliance & CTO of Siasun Robotics
Key Content:
The mobile robotics sector continues to evolve, though its growth rate has slowed. To address current challenges, breakthroughs can be achieved in three key areas:
- Deeply exploring existing application scenarios for mobile robots to expand their application scope.
- Broadening applications from traditional logistics, warehousing, and production lines to more niche sectors, increasing outreach to adjacent fields.
- Leveraging the latest developments in embodied intelligence to enter entirely new application domains.
IPLUSMOBOT: Research on Key Technologies of Embodied Navigation and Operation
Image: Xiong Rong, Qiu Shi Distinguished Professor at Zhejiang University, Director of Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, and Chairman of IPLUSMOBOT
Key Content:
Intelligence remains a classic focus and challenge in robotics research. Currently, embodied intelligence that learns through interaction has become a key research topic, with an emphasis on data acquisition and learning methods. Major challenges in industrial robotics include achieving adaptability, generalizability, high precision, high reliability, and high efficiency. Continuous optimization and deep integration of mechanistic modeling with embodied learning technologies are promising directions for exploration. Furthermore, combining advancements with specific industrial scenarios and engineering practices will accelerate technology validation, optimization, and largescale adoption.
CMR Industry Alliance: The Calm and Heat of China’s Mobile Robot Industry
Image: Li Jinke, SecretaryGeneral of the CMR Industry Alliance
Key Content:
By 2024, the Chinese mobile robot (AGV/AMR) market is projected to reach 22.4 billion RMB, with a 5.7% yearonyear growth. Approximately 135,000 units are expected to be sold, reflecting an 8% increase. However, overall industry growth is slowing. In the current market landscape, successfully navigating economic cycles relies on effective crisis management. Companies must remain confident, pursue excellence in details, strategically plan for broader developments, and strive for unique achievements at higher levels.
PIA Automation: Industrial Applications of Mobile Robots and Humanoid Robots
Image: Guo Jishun, Director of the Humanoid Robot Research Institute and Chief Scientist at PIA Automation
Key Content:
Industrial scenarios demonstrate clear demand for humanoid and semihumanoid robots, which feature relatively straightforward technologies and the potential for rapid commercialization. Over the next three to five years, the industrial and warehousing sectors will be the most suitable deployment scenarios for humanoid and semihumanoid robots. PIA Automation aims to use industrial applications as an entry point, leveraging technology transfer and multidimensional collaboration to gradually drive market maturity for humanoid robots.
Release of Two Group Standards
Image: Alliance Leaders and Representatives from Leading Units Jointly Announce the Standards
Alliance Standards Committee: 2024 Annual Work Summary
Image: Liu Yang, Deputy Director of the Alliance Standards Committee, Introduces the Development and Planning of the Two Group Standards.
Key Content:
In 2024, the Alliance Standards Committee organized the development of two group standards:
“Modular Design Specification for Industrial Mobile Robots”
“Technical Requirements for ExplosionProof Forklift Mobile Robots”
Going forward, the committee will continue to improve the mobile robot standard system, promote the transformation of group standards into national standards, and effectively implement standard promotion and awareness initiatives.
InDepth Dialogue: New Technologies, New Directions
Discussion Topics:
- How can embodied intelligence empower industrial mobile robots?
- Exploring solutions to address industry competition from a technical perspective.
Moderator: Zhang Lei, Chairman of the CMR Industry Alliance & CTO of Siasun Robotics
Special Guests:
Xiong Rong, Qiu Shi Distinguished Professor at Zhejiang University, Director of Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, and Chairman of IPLUSMOBOT
Guo Jishun, Director of the Humanoid Robot Research Institute & Chief Scientist at PIA Automation
Li Zhiyong, Distinguished “Yuelu Scholar” Professor, Ph.D. Supervisor, and Secretary of the Party Committee at the School of Robotics, Hunan University
Gong Jianning, Vice Chairman of the Alliance & Deputy General Manager at Jike Co., Ltd.
Chen Xi, CoFounder and Vice President of Robotics R&D at Geek+
Bai Hongxing, Vice President and Director of the AI Research Institute at Galaxis Technology Group
AMR New Technology Integration Session
IFM Electronic: 3D Vision + AI to Create a Mobile Robot “Smart Eye”
Image: Dr. He Ruoyu, Head of 3D ToF Imaging Systems at IFM Electronic
Key Content:
AI relies on suitable input data and training, making machine vision critically important. IFM has recently launched the O3P RGBD Camera, based on ToF (TimeofFlight) technology and AI. This product features:
UltraWide Field of View: Covers a broader monitoring area, significantly reducing blind spots. 4Meter Detection Range: High resolution and precision to deliver clearer, more detailed visual information.
Linde: Linde Flexible Automation – Orchestrating the Future
Image: Zheng Xinqing, General Manager of the Mobile Robotics and Internal Logistics Division, Linde
Key Content:
From manual operations to automation and now to advanced/intelligent fullscale automation, the industry has been striving to achieve more efficient logistics solutions. Leveraging over a century of professional experience and more than half a century of automation technology, Linde has introduced an integrated fullstack innovative delivery platform. This platform provides endtoend solutions for customers, ranging from toplevel application software systems, to scheduling systems, and logistics equipment that execute transport tasks.
Stäubli: Exploring Logistics Safety and CostReduction Strategies from an Electrical Connector Perspective
Image: Zhang Jianbo, Director of AGV Industry, Stäubli
Key Content:
Charging locations represent a critical risk point in Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), where electrical contact failure is the primary cause of charging malfunctions. Contact resistance is the key factor affecting electrical contact performance. Stäubli’s MULTILAM technology ensures longlasting, stable low contact resistance. Electrical connectors built on MULTILAM technology enable up to 100,000 mating cycles, ensuring higher efficiency and stability while delivering a lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for customers.
SEER: Accelerating an Open, Diverse Intelligent Civilization – Making Smart Robots Accessible
Image: Gong Ziting, Marketing Director, SEER
Key Content:
In 2024, SEER launched the generalpurpose intelligent robot controller SRC5000 and its wheelbased humanoid robot equipped with the SRC5000, marking its entry into the embodied intelligence field. SEER aims to eliminate barriers for intelligent robots by developing various tools. The company has already introduced a series of controllers, the Nebula platform, and digital software, ensuring that robot manufacturing, selection, and usage become fully accessible and barrierfree.
Jinying ExplosionProof: On the Core Technical Capabilities of AGV ExplosionProof Retrofit Enterprises
Image: Huang Dequan, Marketing Director, Jinying ExplosionProof
Key Content:
For explosionproof electromechanical equipment produced and sold by any manufacturer, their design and production must comply with certain directives or standard systems. Globally accepted technical standards include ATEX, IECEx, CNEX, and NEC. The core technical capabilities of AGV explosionproof retrofit enterprises are reflected in familiarity and understanding of standards, development capabilities for different models, knowledge of AGV models and performance, and advanced explosionproof retrofit processes.
YOUIBOT: Exploring Embodied Intelligence Scenarios for YOUIBOT Robots
Image: Sun Meng, COO, YOUIBOT
Key Content:
The “multimodal brain” embodied intelligent control system, combined with “expertlevel” industry solutions, represents the threshold for embodied applications in industrial scenarios. With industry software systems as the foundation, YOUIBOT has established an expertlevel embodied intelligence base model library targeting various niche sectors. This enables widespread applications of industrial embodied mobile manipulation robots in fields such as consumer electronics, PCB, semiconductors, new energy, CNC, medical, data center inspections, power distribution operations, and document delivery.
Leuze electronic: Safety Requirements and Solutions for Mobile Robots
Image: Mai Bangguo, Safety Business Director, Leuze China
Key Content:
With technological advancements and expanding application scenarios, safety requirements for mobile robots are continuously increasing. Leuze, a global industrial sensor manufacturer, has introduced the RSL200 series safety scanner for the mobile robotics industry. Compact and easy to integrate, it offers natural navigation auxiliary measurement data output, flexible configuration, and quick replacement, achieving the perfect blend of safety and efficiency.
Libiao Robot: Rethinking Warehousing Logistics Robots with the AirRob System
Image: Ni Lite, Director of Robot Control Systems, Libiao Robot
Key Content:
The Libiao AirRob system is characterized by efficiency, intelligence, and flexibility, allowing more goods to be stored in limited spaces. It can be deployed on most shelves and bins, with low requirements for floor flatness and temperature environments. Currently implemented in multiple countries and regions, it is widely applicable to various warehousing scenarios, meeting the needs of enterprises of different scales and providing efficient, intelligent, and flexible warehousing solutions.
Blue Book Release
Image: Peng Qing, Chief Editor of the CMR Industry Alliance Information Department, awarding certificates to participating organizations.
Annual Hotspot Analysis: New Trends, New Operations
Discussion Topics:
- Building a winwin ecosystem for mobile robot integration and applications.
- Key business focuses for mobile robot enterprises in the new economic cycle.
Moderator: Li Jinke, SecretaryGeneral, CMR Industry Alliance
Guest Speakers:
Wang Yupeng, President, Mobile Robot BG, Siasun
Li Dawei, Founder & CEO, Fairyland
Zheng Xinqing, General Manager, Mobile Robotics and Internal Logistics Division, Linde
Yang Yaoyong, Director, Manufacturing Technology Engineering Institute, China Academy of Machinery Science & Technology
Wu Xiang, Logistics Planning Lead, NIO
