Send Link mailing list submissions to
[email protected]
To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
https://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
[email protected]
You can reach the person managing the list at
[email protected]
When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Link digest..."
Today's Topics:
1. China deploys humanoid robots at border crossings, commits to
round-the-clock surveillance and logistics (Stephen Loosley)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2025 01:06:44 +1030
From: Stephen Loosley <[email protected]>
To: "link" <[email protected]>
Subject: [LINK] China deploys humanoid robots at border crossings,
commits to round-the-clock surveillance and logistics
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
It?s official ? China deploys humanoid robots at border crossings and commits
to round-the-clock surveillance and logistics
by Raquel R. December 22, 2025
https://eladelantado.com/en/humanoid-robot-china/
[Graphics caption: China deploys humanoid robots at border crossings]
China has been teaching humanoid robots in its country?s decision-making rooms
for years. Now they have been taken to a much more practical, albeit dystopian,
location: their borders.
The company UBTech Robotics has secured a 264 million yuan
contract?approximately US$37 million?to deploy its Walker S2 humanoid robots at
the border crossings of Fangchenggang, Guangxi, starting in December.
According to the company, the robots will manage the ?flow of personnel,? carry
out inspections, and handle logistics. Humanoid robots do not get tired?well,
they do get tired, but they are capable of replacing their own depleted
batteries themselves.
The Walker S2 has a self-replaceable battery, so operating costs are negligible
compared to the costs of providing shelter, rest, and food for a human at a
border crossing where reaching the rest of civilization is a logistical feat.
New patrol borders
It looks like something out of the Fallout video game series. We can?t help but
think of the Securitrons used by Mr. Robert House in New Vegas. A patrolman
prowling the border 24 hours a day seems like something out of a movie.
For now, the Walker S2 robots will be used for support tasks on the border with
Vietnam.
Using humanoid robots for border management is not new in China.
Customs agencies were already using them, as were Chinese airports. This trend
toward humanoid robots has created a high demand for vendor-independent fleet
management software. This software has to cover programming, teleoperation (in
this case, remote control by a human operator), and compliance reports across
all brands.
A robot that manages its own energy can remain in service for a long time,
which is crucial in places where they cannot stop to recharge their batteries.
According to the company?s official website, the Walker S2 humanoid robot can
change its own battery independently in just three minutes.
All it needs is a replacement option to be able to operate day and night. The
use of humanoid robots shifts part of the work from constant supervision to
planned maintenance. Now, safety checks will be much smoother and can be
carried out clearly with a human in charge? even if remotely.
The Ultimate Humanoid Robot: Walker S2
This humanoid robot has proportions that remind us of ourselves.
It measures 176 cm, weighs 70 kg, and walks at a normal speed of 2 m/s. It has
joints reminiscent of those of a human: a flexible waist with an angle and
rotation similar to that of a human, ambidextrous hands that can carry up to
7.5 kg (with greater sensitivity for one kilogram), and sensors in each hand.
It has microphones, speakers, and can hold a real conversation. It is made of
composite, aeronautical-grade aluminum alloy, and 3D-printed in its main casing.
China?s pilot, shareholders? delight
Although the Walker S2 humanoid robot is only a frontier pilot, things are
going very well for the man. In a press release, the robot manufacturer
announced that it would begin mass production and shipping of its industrial
humanoids. In 2025 alone, there has already been a surge in online orders for
this humanoid.
For now, it seems that nations are going to move?or rather, transition?to
hiring humanoid robots for jobs where the environment is constantly changing.
Border crossings are busy, noisy, and can be exposed to weather conditions that
would quickly take a toll on a flesh-and-blood human being. Although they are
currently being used as labor in support tasks where humans can intervene, it
seems that they will soon be given jobs with greater independent responsibility.
If you ever happen to feel like illegally entering China through the Vietnam
border, now you know who?or what?will be there to whoop your ass!
--
------------------------------
Subject: Digest Footer
_______________________________________________
Link mailing list
[email protected]
https://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
------------------------------
End of Link Digest, Vol 397, Issue 8
************************************