Amid the sleek consumer gadgets on display at IFA 2026 in Berlin, Germany, a Chinese-made heavy-duty quadruped robot offered a glimpse into a broader shift in China's artificial intelligence sector — homegrown technologies are moving beyond laboratories and consumer devices into demanding real-world operations.
The Hypertron-T01, developed by Shenzhen-based Astrall Dynamics, is designed to carry heavy loads and navigate steep slopes, gravel and slippery surfaces, capabilities aimed at power inspections, emergency response and other environments where reliability matters as much as intelligence. It was named a winner in the Best in IFA Next & Emerging Technologies category at the IFA 2026 Innovation Awards.
The robot's appearance at the IFA reflects how Chinese AI hardware companies are building a new competitive edge around proprietary technologies, engineering execution and the ability to turn algorithms into products that can withstand continuous industrial use, rather than relying mainly on cost advantages.
"The robot effectively addresses challenges in specialized industrial scenarios such as power inspections, campus security and emergency firefighting, where both speed and stability under heavy loads are required," said Lin Shenchu, head of marketing at Astrall Dynamics.
That progress is increasingly being tested in operating environments at home before reaching markets overseas. Hypertron-series robots, for example, have undergone long-term unmanned operations in substations run by leading Chinese power grid companies, generating data and experience for further product refinements.
According to the company, its self-developed power system enables the Hypertron-T01 to carry a maximum dynamic load of 80 kilograms while limiting overheating and performance degradation under heavy loads. Such advances point to a wider transition in China's AI sector from showcasing stand-alone technologies to delivering scalable systems and solutions for industrial needs around the world.
The company's strategy for international expansion involves not only selling products, but also working with local partners to co-develop industry-specific applications, Lin said, adding that the company, established in 2024, plans to open core software development kit (SDK) interfaces covering motion control, sensor data and device management to partners in Europe.
"The move is intended to shorten the development cycle for industry-specific solutions from six months to a few months by collaborating with global integrators, solution providers and developers to expand the range of industrial applications," said Lin, adding that opening the SDK interfaces will enable local European partners to develop solutions tailored to specific operating environments more quickly.
"These solutions can go global because they address challenges facing industries worldwide, including severe labor shortages and aging populations, as well as growing staffing gaps in high-risk jobs, night-shift inspections and repetitive tasks."
The trend was also visible at IFA 2026 as embodied AI moved from screens into the physical world. More than 1,000 exhibitors from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong participated in the event, marking a record level of Chinese participation.
During IFA 2026, which was held in early September, Chinese exhibitors showcased their strengths in AI applications, supply chain management, engineering execution and ecosystem collaboration, demonstrating capabilities essential to the large-scale deployment of AI.
GBA plays major role
Technological breakthroughs and business model innovation among Chinese companies in the AI hardware sector — especially those in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area — are increasingly complementing traditional cost advantages and becoming a key source of competitiveness for products entering markets abroad.
In the first six months, Guangdong's total import and export volume surpassed 5 trillion yuan ($750 billion) for the first time in a first-half period, said the Guangdong Sub-administration of the General Administration of Customs.
During the period, the province's exports of drones, high-end machine tools and industrial robots surged by 24.6 percent, 20.1 percent and 16.8 percent year-on-year, respectively.
In Shenzhen, a pioneering city in China's reform and opening-up, trade in AI-related products reached 1.28 trillion yuan in the first half, growing by 50.1 percent year-on-year.
For RobotAnno (Shenzhen) Co Ltd, a high-tech enterprise specializing in the research and development, production, sales and service of desktop robotic arms and AI-powered unmanned retail solutions, technological breakthroughs are key to expanding overseas.
The company's self-developed coffee machine can make a latte with intricate foam art in just 90 seconds as its robotic arm moves with precision.
Additionally, its ice cream robot can produce a serving in just 30 seconds, while its cocktail-making robot can mix drinks on demand.
"From the precision manufacturing of the robotic arm itself to the independent development of the control system and the interaction between software and the entire machine module, everything is developed in-house by our researchers," said Wang Rong, marketing director of RobotAnno.
The latte art coffee robot has become a popular commodity, with its robotic arm achieving a repeat positioning accuracy of 0.03 millimeters, Wang said, adding that "we invited professional latte artists to assist in the design and development process".
The company's R&D team used over 100 cameras to capture the artists' movements as they prepared latte art, with the footage then used for 3D modeling and machine learning.
According to the company, capturing the latte artists' movements allowed researchers to translate precise wrist movements into detailed coordinates that were integrated into the robotic arm system, enabling it to reproduce professional latte-art techniques with a high degree of consistency and accuracy.
"Our products run 24 hours a day. They might not recover their costs if they fail to meet operational demands," said Wang.
To address the challenge of ensuring reliability and commercial viability, the company did not rush into large-scale distribution of its products in domestic and overseas markets, she added.
Instead, it deployed its coffee robots in various real-world environments, testing peak-hour efficiency in office buildings, stability at tourist attractions and reliability under the stringent operating conditions of airports.
"Through rigorous testing and data-driven refinements in these scenarios, we have achieved full-stack independent development from robotic arms to control systems and entire machines, cutting unit costs to between one-quarter and one-third of those of our competitors," Wang said.
The company's dual-track model, which integrates its own instant retail brand and chain stores, has proven successful, with products sold in over 80 countries and the company reporting that its business doubled in 2025.
"By utilizing a global after-sales team working in shifts to manage time zone differences, we have been able to provide stable cross-border after-sales support," she said.
The company entered foreign markets in 2017 by listing its products on major international e-commerce platforms.
"At that time, overseas customers soon began reaching out to us through our distributors," said Wang.
Since then, the company has gradually expanded to online channels such as Alibaba.com and Amazon, while actively participating in international exhibitions.
Currently, approximately 60 percent of the company's revenue comes from overseas markets, with Europe and North America as its primary markets.
"Demand is also beginning to rise in emerging markets in South America, South Africa and Russia," said Wang, adding that in terms of channel expansion, the company has collaborated with local distributors and agents to establish an after-sales network and plans to set up subsidiaries and technical teams in Europe and North America.
The Shenzhen-based company will showcase its full range of products at the Global Artificial Intelligence Manufacturing and Electronics Expo, or AIE Expo, which will be held from Dec 3 to 5 in Guangdong province's Zhuhai as well as Macao.
Positioned by organizers as a premier launch platform for China's intelligent manufacturing, the expo will focus on the entire AI industry chain and is expected to attract over 1,000 exhibitors and 50,000 professional visitors.
"We hope the expo will bring more overseas clients, allowing them to experience the manufacturing strengths of the GBA and helping us broaden our reach in international markets," she said.
AI opportunities
Within the GBA, a growing number of traditional electronics manufacturers have also accelerated their AI-driven transformation.
Shenzhen Chengyi Intelligent Equipment Group, which began as a maker of flat-panel display module processing equipment, has expanded into equipment for the testing and packaging of semiconductor components.
The company's products are widely used in fields such as smart wearables, in-car displays and new-energy applications.
"AI is not only a major trend and hot topic, but also a significant opportunity for our business," said Zhang Tianwei, chairman of Shenzhen Chengyi Intelligent Equipment Group.
The company, which has three manufacturing bases in Guangdong's Shenzhen and Zhongshan, and Suining in Sichuan province, provides intelligent equipment and comprehensive automated production-line solutions for display and touch-panel manufacturers.
In terms of business development, the company focuses on key Southeast Asian markets such as Vietnam and Thailand and relies on local trading companies and industry associations to gain access to the supply chains of leading enterprises.
"Expanding overseas is not solely driven by cost considerations. More importantly, it is about being closer to international markets and participating in the global division of labor," said Zhang.
Since the beginning of this year, the company has stepped up strategic efforts in AI-related fields — particularly advanced integrated circuits — while collaborating with downstream manufacturers on joint R&D.
"We have consistently worked to deepen our technological capabilities so that domestic equipment can replace imports and compete in global markets," said Zhang.
The company said its global footprint and localized operations helped raise the proportion of overseas orders from about 10 percent two years earlier to 20 percent in 2025.
Zhang said the gradual hollowing-out of some equipment-supporting industries in Japan, South Korea and other developed economies is also creating a long-term structural opportunity for Chinese makers to expand overseas.
The company will also participate in the upcoming 2026 AIE Expo for the first time. "We will send our research and development professionals to the expo to engage in discussions with overseas clients and showcase our latest products and solutions," he said.
Editor：Zhou Jinmiao
