China has attracted world attention this time with the dancing robots showcased at the Spring Festival Gala. As a usual practice, it was seen attracting millions of viewers from around the globe, when for the very first time sixteen humanoid Unitree H1 robots displayed a dazzling routine of synchronization to the amusement of the human dance team who joined them, doing all sorts of moves handkerchief-style – tossing and catching, earning praise from all spectators.
The company behind the innovation, Unitree Robotics, excitedly posted about the new creation on social media: “Unitree H1: Humanoid Robot Makes Its Debut at the Spring Festival Gala. Hello everyone, let me introduce myself again. I am Unitree H1 ‘Fuxi’. I am now a comedian at the Spring Festival Gala, hoping to bring joy to everyone. Let’s push boundaries every day and shape the future together.”
If measured in terms of engineering, however, the show was quite exceptional. The humanoid robots were nearly 1.8 meters in height and each weighed 47 kilograms. Trained for a period of three months through artificial intelligence, it honed perfect movements. A real-time system using laser SLAM technology could position the humanoids perfectly such that their synchronization with the other human performers resulted in flawless harmony. This exemplifies China’s development in terms of robotics precision.
However, not everyone was impressed. Some critics found the robotic performance unsettling, arguing that dance, as a deeply emotional human art form, cannot be replicated by machines. “It’s impressive, but also a bit eerie. Dance is about expression, and these robots have none,” one user commented. Another added, “They move well, but it’s like watching a soulless version of a traditional performance.”
Many of the others got unsettled due to the lack of facial expression from the robots. One said, “Why do they look so creepy? If they had human-like faces, it would be even worse!”
Despite these mixed reactions, the performance is doing well; on X alone, it boasts of over 4.8 million views. As some say it is the biggest breakthrough that can be observed with AI and robotics, some believe that perhaps it is going to be a world where human artistry fades out.
