On 31 October 2026, more than a hundred students took part in humanoid robotics workshops in Chengdu, China. The programme covered setting up equipment, organising data and a group data collection challenge using teleoperated robots.
The day was held on Chengdu’s science and technology innovation ecosystem island as part of an autumn 2026 urban interactive experience camp. It brought together students from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and the Chinese diaspora who are enrolled at several universities in Chengdu, including Sichuan University, the University of Electronic Science and Technology and Southwest Jiaotong University.
How students used teleoperated humanoid robots to collect data
Humanoid robotics was one of the hands-on parts of the day. Participants first took part in specialised activities, then joined interactive experiences and competitions.
Working in groups, the students had to set up the equipment, organise the data they collected and complete a data collection challenge using teleoperated robots.
The activity focused on cooperation between participants and on handling the robotic systems. Teleoperation means that a human operator is involved in controlling the robot. The exercise described was therefore remote-controlled use, not a demonstration of fully autonomous operation.
AI and digital twin demonstrations at the Chengdu innovation island
Alongside the robotics workshops, the students tried out several technologies presented in the interactive zone of the science and technology innovation island.
Among other things, they used terminals giving access to locally developed large AI models. By entering their own prompts, they generated digital avatars and creative content combining text and images.
Several installations rounded out the visit: a glasses-free 3D display, an augmented reality system dedicated to the science city and a visualisation platform for the island’s digital twin.
These demonstrations showed different applications of artificial intelligence, from digital creation and urban management tools to the virtual representation of an area.
What the Chengdu science and technology innovation island does
Chengdu’s science and technology innovation island brings together research teams and technology companies. Its aim is to connect research, industry, talent and funding in order to turn scientific work into practical applications.
The 31 October event gave students a look at several uses of artificial intelligence, the industrial internet and smart manufacturing.
Among the participants, a traditional Chinese medicine student at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine also spoke about her interest in educational applications of AI. She is taking part in a science and technology innovation competition and is working on a smart learning tool for students in her field.
Her project aims to make it easier to learn traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacology with the help of artificial intelligence.