On the Spring Festival Gala stage, the Yushu G1 robot performed drunken boxing and nunchaku dance. Its performance of "Wu BOT" gave many people their first direct experience of the agility and strength of humanoid robots. Even before the Gala's popularity had faded, new progress emerged from the laboratory-someone integrated the Open Claw open-source framework into the Yushu G1, giving this already highly capable robot enhanced environmental understanding and memory.
In just one year, humanoid robots have moved from stage performances to real-world applications. From laboratory research to industrial production and public service scenarios, the robotics industry is rapidly taking root. Behind this technological wave, besides the innovative breakthroughs of leading companies, the support of the entire industrial chain is indispensable. The seemingly low-profile PCB manufacturing is becoming an indispensable foundation for the robotics industry.
From Stage Performances to Technological Breakthroughs: Humanoid Robots are Evolving Rapidly
Last year's Spring Festival Gala, with its robot folk dance, was more like a technological demonstration; this year's "Wu BOT" has refreshed public perception. The lead robot, Unitree G1, performed a series of highly difficult martial arts moves and demonstrated coordinated performances by multiple robots, even executing complex maneuvers like the "carp leap," showcasing exceptional motion control capabilities.
Unitree G1 itself is a representative product of domestically produced humanoid robots:
It stands approximately 130cm tall, weighs about 35kg, and is equipped with 3D LiDAR and a depth camera, boasting 23 joint motors. Its knee joint has a maximum torque of 90 Nm, and its movement speed is approximately 2 m/s. The robot also features Unitree's self-developed UnifoLM large-scale model, enabling it to learn and perform various movements.
From its public release in 2025 to completing an autonomous walking challenge of over 130,000 steps in extremely cold environments, and then appearing on the Spring Festival Gala stage, the continuous evolution of Unitree G1 is proving that the motion capabilities of domestically produced humanoid robots have entered the world's top tier.
The addition of Open Claw further enhances the robot's "intelligence." Traditional robots often only execute actions according to pre-programmed instructions, easily becoming unable to handle new situations once they leave their designated environment. Open Claw, however, builds a spatial-temporal-semantic joint memory system, enabling robots to remember the positions of objects in their environment, recognize human behavior patterns, and record their own movement trajectories.
Simply put, while robots previously "acted according to instructions," they are now beginning to possess a certain degree of environmental understanding. This upgrade from "being able to act" to "being able to perceive" is a crucial step for humanoid robots towards real-world applications.
The Robotics Industry Experiences Rapid Growth, with PCBs Becoming a Key Foundation The popularity of humanoid robots extends beyond stages and laboratories. Data shows that global shipments of humanoid robots are expected to reach approximately 18,000 units in 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of over 500%. Chinese companies have performed particularly well in this industry competition.
Currently, over 150 domestic companies have entered the humanoid robot field. Unitree Robotics ships over 5,500 units annually, and Zhiyuan Robotics has reached a scale of 5,000 units. Several robot projects targeting patrol and service scenarios have also received orders for thousands of units. As application scenarios continue to expand, robots are entering fields such as industrial manufacturing, public services, and commercial services. More and more companies are viewing robots as a crucial component of future productivity.
Behind this, one link is often overlooked yet vital-the PCB (Printed Circuit Board). If we use a simple analogy for a robot system: the intelligent algorithm is the "brain," the motion control system is the "cerebellum," and the mechanical structure is the "body," then the PCB is the "neural network" connecting the entire system.
The 3D LiDAR, depth camera, joint motor control system, and core computing modules on a robot all rely on the PCB for signal transmission and hardware connections. Especially in industrial applications, robots need to operate stably for extended periods and maintain high-precision control capabilities, placing extremely high demands on the manufacturing quality and reliability of PCBs.
In the rapid development of the robotics industry, high-reliability PCB manufacturing capabilities are equally indispensable. Companies like Shenzhen Pulin Circuits, which focus on high-end PCB manufacturing, are a vital foundational link in this industrial chain.
As a PCB manufacturer with its own professional production facilities, Shenzhen Pulin Circuits' products are already capable of meeting various core application needs in the robotics industry. The company has passed ISO9001 quality system certification, AS9100D aerospace quality management system certification, and IATF16949 automotive industry quality system certification, and holds over 50 patents.
These technologies and quality systems ensure the stable operation of PCBs in complex environments. Whether in high-temperature, low-temperature, or continuously vibrating industrial environments, highly reliable PCBs are a crucial prerequisite for the stable operation of robots.
From the PLC control system of industrial robots to the core computing module of humanoid robots, PCBs play a key role in signal transmission and system connectivity. The high-quality PCB products provided by Shenzhen Pulin Circuits are becoming an important support for robots to move from the laboratory to industrial production and then into more application scenarios.
Several Hurdles Still Need to Be Overcome for Robots to Truly Take Root
Although robot technology is developing rapidly, the industry still faces many challenges in moving from "usable" to "easy-to-use."
First is the complexity of application scenarios. Industrial scenarios often require millimeter-level precision control, while home scenarios demand higher safety and interaction capabilities from robots, all of which place higher demands on robot systems.
Secondly, the industry still lacks unified testing standards and data systems. Significant differences in robot system architecture among different companies make cross-scenario application and large-scale deployment challenging.
Furthermore, while many robots perform well in specific scenarios, they still struggle with recognition and decision-making in unfamiliar environments. Therefore, technical frameworks like Open Claw require continuous iteration and optimization.
Solving these problems requires more than just technological breakthroughs from a single company. The entire industry chain needs collaborative development: on the one hand, a more open intelligent technology platform is needed; on the other hand, more comprehensive industrial support capabilities are required. From continuous upgrades to core hardware such as PCBs to the construction of robot training scenarios and testing systems, all will influence the future development speed of the industry.
Robots Will Not Replace Everyone, But Reshape the Way We Work
A question many people are concerned about is: Will robots replace human jobs?
In fact, currently, robot applications in the industrial field only cover about 20%-30% of scenarios. They are more often used in high-risk, high-intensity, or highly repetitive work areas, such as high-altitude welding and battery inspection.
At the same time, the robotics industry is also creating new jobs. For example, robot system development, operation and maintenance management, and scenario training all require a large number of professionals. The future work model is likely to be one of human-robot collaboration.
The ultimate goal of technology is to make life better.
In people's imaginations, robots are not only tools in industrial production, but may also become assistants in public services, and even companions in family life.
From TARS in science fiction movies to WALL-E in *WALL-E*, people have always hoped that robots would be both reliable and compassionate. The robotics industry in reality is also moving in this direction.
Today, humanoid robots are at a crucial juncture, moving from "technology demonstration" to "real-world application." The Spring Festival Gala stage has demonstrated technological strength, technologies like Open Claw are driving intelligent evolution, and a complete industrial chain makes large-scale application possible. Supporting companies like Shenzhen Prin Circuit, innovative companies like Unitree and Yuejiang, and countless practitioners deeply involved in the robotics field are all jointly driving this industrial revolution.