Since the beginning of this year, discussions around humanoid robots have been ceaseless, with the sector becoming one of the most closely watched in China's tech landscape. Yet as early as 2016, when humanoid robots had yet to capture public attention, Leng Xiaokun boldly ventured into this "niche" field, taking on challenges such as high R&D costs and the heavy reliance on imported core components.
In 2016, Leng and a few of his fellow university alumni moved south to Shenzhen, where they founded Leju (Shenzhen) Robotics Technology Co., Ltd. The team's first ambitious goal was to develop a bipedal humanoid robot. "It was extremely difficult. There was no precedent in China, and the costs were staggering. Almost all critical components had to be sourced from overseas," Leng recalled.
But the bigger challenge, Leng emphasized, was not just building a robot that looks human, but feels human—able to see, listen, walk steadily, and interact with the physical world through precise touch and perception. From hardware to software, from chips to algorithms, every link in the humanoid robot industry chain is a battlefield of technological prowess.
In 2018, Leju's Aelos robot made a dazzling debut during the "Beijing 8 Minutes" segment at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, showcasing the power of "Intelligent manufacturing in China" to a global audience.
"Every step has been hard-won," Leng admitted. At the time, the global hardware supply chain for robotics was still underdeveloped. "We often had to wait two weeks just to get a reply from overseas suppliers," he said. By cobbling together parts from several different countries, they eventually assembled their first working robot.
Persistence paid off. In December 2023, Leng and his team officially unveiled their high-dynamic humanoid robot named KUAVO (Kuafu in Chinese), featuring a highly reliable structure, dynamic mobility, dexterous hands, and an intelligent "brain" capable of precise perception and autonomous task planning. Over 90% of its components are now domestically producedin China, and the team has achieved independent mastery of key technologies such as integrated joints, structural design, and motion control algorithms.
Today, Leju's robots are widely deployed inintelligent manufacturing, commercial services, scientific research, and education. Looking ahead, Leng's vision remains unwavering: to make robots truly serve every industry and every household.
Source:Lingnan on the Cloud
乐聚创始人冷晓琨：让机器人服务千家万户
今年以来，关于人形机器人的讨论一直没有断过，人形机器人成为中国最受关注的产业。而早在2016年，当人形机器人尚未得到广泛关注，冷晓琨就大胆闯入“冷门赛道”，攻克研发成本高昂、关键零部件靠进口等难题。
2016年，冷晓琨带着几个师兄弟南下深圳，创立乐聚（深圳）机器人技术有限公司。来到深圳后，冷晓琨和团队定下第一个目标是研发双足机器人。“这个难度很高，国内没有先例，研发成本高昂，几乎所有关键零部件均依赖进口。”
更大的挑战在于，如何让机器人不仅“长得像人”，还能“感觉像人”，能看得见、听得懂、走得稳、摸得准，实现与物理世界的感知交互。从硬件到软件、从芯片到算法，人形机器人产业链上的每一个环节都是科技实力较量的竞技场。
2018年，冷晓琨率领团队研发的Aelos机器人在平昌冬奥会“北京8分钟”上惊艳亮相，向世界展示了“中国智造”的力量。
“每一步，都不容易。”冷晓琨感叹。当时，全球机器人硬件产业链都不成熟，冷晓琨团队给国外厂商发邮件，经常要半个月才能收到回复。靠着好几个国家的零部件，他们最终“攒起来”第一台机器人。
功夫不负有心人，2023年12月，冷晓琨带领团队研发的高动态人形机器人“夸父”正式发布，具备了高可靠性、高动态运动能力的身体结构、灵巧的双手以及能够精准感知和自主规划任务的聪明“大脑”。这款机器人零部件的国产化率已达到90%以上，团队将一体化关节、结构、运控算法等关键技术牢牢掌握在了自己的手中。
如今，他们团队的机器人已广泛应用于工业智造、商业服务、科研教育等领域。展望未来，冷晓琨的目标从未改变：让机器人真正服务于千行百业、千家万户。
文、图｜记者 鄢敏 通讯员 岳青
翻译 | 杨钧雅
审校 | 肖凯欣
