Ningbo races ahead in embodied intelligence

Unitree's quadruped robot carries out tasks at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. [Photo/Yongpai App]

Ningbo is accelerating its push into the fast-growing embodied intelligence industry, with 101 enterprises above designated size in the intelligent robotics industrial chain generating 14.23 billion yuan ($2.1 billion) in industrial output in the first half of 2026, up 19.1 percent year-on-year.

At the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, Ningbo-based Joyson Electronics unveiled its first self-developed Lingxi dexterous hand. Featuring 20 degrees of freedom and a grasping accuracy of 0.08 millimeters, the hand highlights the city's growing capabilities in advanced robotics.

Major projects are also moving into the construction phase. For example, Unitree's intelligent emergency robot industrial park broke ground in March in Ningbo's Haishu district. Meanwhile, investment continues to pour in, with leading companies setting up industrial funds and new joint ventures strengthening the supply chain.

Ningbo is also building a strong innovation ecosystem, with national-level R&D projects, robotics training grounds, and a provincial humanoid robot future industry pilot zone.

Most importantly, robots are already working in real-world settings. At the Meishan port area of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, Unitree's quadruped robots have cut the inspection time for a single loaded container from 80 minutes to 20 minutes. Other robots are engaged in precision assembly, cleaning, inspection, deep-sea exploration, and high-rise facade cleaning.

With six Ningbo companies included in The Economist's list of China's top 30 robot parts suppliers, the city's deep manufacturing base is becoming a key competitive edge in the embodied intelligence industry.

A humanoid robot undergoes tests for folding clothes. [Photo/Yongpai App]