China Telecom has created Gamma Robotics in Shanghai, a company specialising in humanoid robots that was spun out of its artificial intelligence institute, TeleAI. A joint laboratory is intended to speed up the development of robots able to learn in real-world environments.
Chinese telecom operator China Telecom is expanding into humanoid robotics with the creation of Gamma Robotics (伽马智能). Based in Shanghai’s Xuhui district, the new company is meant to turn TeleAI’s research into industrial technologies and applications. Its programme covers continuous learning, motion coordination and cooperation between robots, among other areas.
Gamma Robotics and TeleAI to set up a joint humanoid robot lab
Gamma Robotics is a spin-off of TeleAI, China Telecom’s Artificial Intelligence Research Institute. The two organisations plan to establish a laboratory dedicated to humanoid robots to bring research work closer to commercial applications.
The collaboration is intended to develop products and services aimed at industrialising humanoid robotics. Gamma Robotics will be able to draw on China Telecom’s infrastructure and expertise in telecommunications, networks, computing power, data and applications.
How Gamma Robotics plans humanoid robots that learn in real-world settings
Gamma Robotics’ technology programme rests on two pillars: self-evolution and whole-body modelling of humanoid robots.
Self-evolution here refers to the goal of letting robots gradually improve their abilities through interaction with their environment. Rather than limiting robots to pre-programmed behaviours, Gamma Robotics wants to develop systems that learn continuously from real-world situations.
The second pillar concerns whole-body coordination. Research will aim to improve the robots’ movement, balance and overall control so that their actions are more coherent.
Gamma Robotics is also considering an architecture that links robots to cloud-hosted artificial intelligence models and to various intelligent nodes. The aim is to let the machines share their experience and carry out cooperative tasks.
These capabilities are the development goals announced for Gamma Robotics, not the demonstrated performance of a commercially available humanoid robot.
Who is funding Gamma Robotics: China Telecom’s AI investment fund
Gamma Robotics has received a strategic investment from a private equity fund dedicated to artificial intelligence and attached to China Telecom’s Shanghai branch.
Contributors to the fund include China Telecom, the Shanghai state-owned investment guidance fund and the Chinese central enterprises’ strategic emerging industries development fund.
It is the first private equity fund managed directly by China Telecom. Its mission is to support industrial development and build an ecosystem covering the various areas of artificial intelligence.
Gamma Robotics also receives scientific and technical support at group level. China Telecom’s chief technology officer, its chief scientist and the director of TeleAI are among its advisers.
Gamma Robotics sets up in Shanghai’s Xuhui district
Gamma Robotics is based in an incubation zone in Shanghai’s Xuhui district. The municipality considers the move consistent with its strategy of developing an industrial hub dedicated to artificial intelligence.
The location is intended to place Gamma Robotics’ activities within Shanghai’s technology ecosystem, while the joint laboratory with TeleAI works on turning humanoid robot research into industrial applications.