On August 16th, "Tong Xiaowu," developed by the Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence (BIGAI), won gold in the individual dance category at the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games. How did it achieve such "silky smooth" moves? Is there a fundamental difference between robot dancing and tasks like boxing or running a marathon? In an exclusive interview, members of the BIGAI-Unitree team revealed the "dancing code" behind "Tong Xiaowu's" performance to Xinhua.
Balance and Aesthetics: Tong Xiaowu's "Dancing Code"
With agile dance moves and smooth undulations, "Tong Xiaowu" seamlessly switched between various dance styles, including street dance, the Charleston, and Tai Chi, in the individual dance category of the World Humanoid Robot Games. So, how did Tong Xiaowu achieve its "silky smooth dance moves"?
According to the "BIGAI-Unitree" team behind Tong Xiaowu, the training process begins by capturing motion data from professional dance instructors. This data is then converted, using specific methods, into a format that the robot can learn from. Next, Tong Xiaowu practices by continuously imitating these movements in a simulation, adapting them to its unique physical structure. Throughout this process, the team constantly scores its performance and provides feedback, enabling the robot to progressively enhance the proficiency and fluidity of its dance. Finally, the refined dance routine is deployed onto the physical robot for live performance.
Unlike running a marathon or boxing, robot dancing requires simultaneously considering flexibility, coordination, and aesthetic appeal. "Robot dancing needs to be aesthetically pleasing while also tackling significant challenges related to maintaining balance during the dance, which presents a certain level of difficulty," said Huang Siyuan, Director of the Embodied Robotics Center at the Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence.
All-night Debugging: Team Strives for Perfection as Project's "Proud Fathers"
The "BIGAI-Unitree" team, with an average age of under 30, is comprised of four members from BIGAI who were involved in every step of the robot's design. The team stated that they see Tong Xiaowu as their own child, jokingly referring to themselves as its "proud fathers."
From knowing nothing at the beginning, to gradually acquiring skills, mastering them proficiently before entering the competition, and finally ensuring no deviations during the event, these four "proud fathers" spent their last few days sleeplessly debugging algorithms in the gym. In the end, despite some nerve-wracking moments, they successfully ensured that Tong Xiaowu completed the competition flawlessly.
"Sometimes we would argue until one or two in the morning over the intricate details of the dance moves," team members Li Yuhan and Zhi Peiyuan shared, explaining that these disagreements were solely to ensure Tong Xiaowu performed even more perfectly in the arena.
"When Tong Xiaowu took the stage, the four of us were incredibly nervous. We weren't sure what results it would achieve, but we were determined to show its best side," said team member Jia Baoxiong.
The Accelerating Evolution of Humanoid Robots: A Promising Future
In recent years, the rapid advancement of humanoid robotics has captured significant attention. For young people aspiring to enter the field, the "BIGAI-Unitree" team offers key advice: Engage with hardware early. Hands-on experience through every stage of development is crucial for a deep understanding of robots and the critical gap between theory and practice. Furthermore, creating functional robots requires a solid grasp of multidisciplinary knowledge, seamlessly integrated into the whole process.
The team members stated that China's humanoid robot technology is now at the forefront of the global stage. They expressed hope that more young people will join the field and jointly contribute to the advancement and development of humanoid robotics in China.