At China’s 2026 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, several robotics companies showcased their latest research and development progress. Humanoid robots participated in multiple performances and interactive segments, emerging as one of the key technological highlights of this year’s show.
MagicLab was the first robotics company to appear on stage, presenting two humanoid robots during the program. MagicBot Gen1 performed basic interactive gestures such as waving, while MagicBot Z1 demonstrated a 360-degree rotational move known as the Thomas 360. The company said this marked the first time a humanoid robot of similar size had completed such a high-difficulty continuous rotation.
Unitree Robotics made its third appearance at the Spring Festival Gala. In the martial arts-themed performance WuBOT, its G1 and H2 humanoid robots performed alongside martial arts actors, showing movements including horse stance, flips, nunchaku routines and elements of Drunken Fist.
Wang Xingxing, founder of Unitree Robotics, said this year’s technical focus was to enable robots to complete formation changes and movement transitions while running at high speed. The work involves high-dynamic motion control and multi-robot coordination algorithms. Such technologies could be applied in the future to collaborative robot operations in complex environments.
Noetix Robotics featured several humanoid robots in the comedy sketch Grandma’s Favorite, including Bumi, N2, E1, and a bionic humanoid custom-built for the show. The robots pulled off side flips, backflips, and other stunts within a stage area of just 12 square meters, showing off their motion planning and precision landing capabilities in tight spaces.
Beijing Galbot appeared in the holiday short film The Night I Remember Most, showing off skills such as voice interaction, folding clothes, and picking up objects while interacting with the actors. The demo highlighted the robots’ ability to sense their surroundings, make decisions on the fly, and carry out tasks with precision.
The concentrated appearance of humanoid robots on a high-profile stage highlights the progress made in China in areas such as motion control, balance algorithms, and human-robot interaction. Public demonstrations in real-world scenarios also provide a useful gauge of the technology’s current maturity.
As humanoid robots continue to improve their mobility and coordination in complex environments, their applications are gradually expanding from lab testing to commercial showcases and service scenarios. Large-scale deployment, however, will still depend on further advances in cost management, reliability, and long-term operational stability.
