(Yicai) March 16 -- It was clear from the recent Appliance & Electronics World Expo in Shanghai that Chinese manufacturers are attempting to embed chips in every product and put artificial intelligence into every product line, from autos and smartphones to smart homes and robots.

During the expo, which ran from March 12 to 15, a world record was set by a robot from embodied AI startup TARS, or Trusted AI and Robotics Solution. Its A1 robot secured the Guinness World Record for the most submillimeter harness assemblies by a robot in one hour. 

Harness assembly is a highly precise industrial task, commonly used in auto production and consumer electronics. Over 60 minutes, the TARS’ robot successfully completed the work more than 100 times, after which Ding Wenchao, chief scientist at the Shanghai-based firm, received the official certificate from the Guinness World Records adjudicator.

Home appliances maker Hisense unveiled its new intelligent companion robot at the expo. The firm is best-known for its televisions, and it has integrated AI into large-screen TVs, enabling users to talk naturally with their TVs even when they are not watching anything and the screen is off. 

“Embodied AI is rapidly entering homes,” said Li Wei, president of Hisense Visual Technology, adding that it now spans food, entertainment, health, and companionship. “The industry is at a pivotal stage of rapid growth and breakthroughs. The pace of technology and scenario implementation will significantly accelerate.”

Electric scooter maker Navee exhibited a broad range of products at the expo, including intelligent e-bicycles and smart recreational vehicles. The firm leads the Northern European premium scooter market and has amassed nearly 720 million kilometers of user riding data, supporting AI algorithm development.

Shouqu Technology, a maker of smart electric motorcycles, launched its K95C Max at the expo, featuring an AI intelligent driving system. According to Chief Technical Officer Yang Chenzhi, the Beijing-based company's "super brain," its Skymotor system, integrates the instrument panel and vehicle control through a centralized architecture, enabling real-time data exchange.

“AI hardware has wide-ranging applications,” said Meng Jia, head of robotic vacuum cleaners at producer Dreame Technology. The Suzhou-based company uses dual-eye stereoscopic vision technology to enhance navigation and obstacle avoidance, Meng said, adding that the tech mimics the way the human eye works.

LingSi Technology debuted HomeClaw, a system that connects with indoor cameras, air conditioners, robot vacuums, and lighting to continuously monitor and analyze the home environment. It can turn on the air conditioning when air quality drops or activate robot vacuums when floors are dirty.

LingSi Vice President Xu Yansong said hardware will increasingly prioritize AI performance, and this means Chinese chip makers will have more opportunities. “In terms of the integration of AI software and hardware, China already has a relatively complete chain from technology to hardware to implementation,” Xu noted.

Editor: Tom Litting