The Rise of Chinese Humanoid Robots: Breakthrough from “Brain” to “Body”

In the new arena of global technological competition, humanoid robots have become a key benchmark for measuring a country's technological strength. China's rapid rise in this field has captured worldwide attention—from core technology breakthroughs to industrial chain layout, from policy support to market applications, China is building a comprehensive humanoid robot industry ecosystem at an astonishing pace.

During Tesla's first-quarter earnings call, Musk stated: "In the field of humanoid robots, Tesla is number one, but the second to tenth places may be occupied by Chinese companies." This assessment acknowledges China's overall advantages while highlighting the evolving competitive landscape.

I. Core Breakthroughs: From "Brain" to "Tendons"

If AI large models are compared to the "brain" of robots, then precision transmission components are the "muscles" and "tendons"—directly determining the accuracy, strength, and stability of robot movements. Among these, ball screws and planetary roller screws, as core components of linear actuators, perform the critical function of converting motor rotation into precise linear motion.

For years, the high-precision screw market has been dominated by international giants such as Switzerland's GSA, Sweden's Ewellix, and Japan's THK, with single-unit prices exceeding 5,000 yuan—becoming a major bottleneck restricting humanoid robot commercialization. However, this situation is being broken by Chinese companies.

KGG began developing its planetary roller screw technology five years ago. Leveraging over a decade of technical expertise in precision transmission, KGG broke through core technological barriers including special material processing and thread grinding techniques. Its planetary roller screw products have now achieved mass production, and have been adopted in joint modules by multiple domestic humanoid robot companies. As industry insiders note: "The screw functions like a tendon—it determines whether a robot's arms lift steadily and its steps land accurately."

II. Industrial Chain Advantages: From Single Breakthroughs to Systematic Layout

Planetary roller screw manufacturing involves high difficulty, requiring expertise in special metal materials, mature process workflows, and high-end grinding machine equipment. Compared to traditional ball screws, planetary roller screws feature line contact design, offering 3x load capacity, 15x longer life, and 1/3 the volume.

Chinese companies are scaling these technological peaks. It is predicted that by 2030, the global market for high-end planetary roller screws used in humanoid robots could reach $5 billion, with China accounting for approximately $1.2 billion. If Tesla achieves its goal of 1 million Optimus units, the corresponding screw market space would reach 14 billion yuan.

In the promotional video for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Unitree's humanoid robot G1 autonomously walked for 15 hours in Altay at -47.4°C, covering over 130,000 steps in nearly half a meter of snow. The robot maintained steady gait throughout, ultimately tracing a regular pattern measuring 186 meters long and 100 meters wide—completing the world's first autonomous walking challenge by a humanoid robot in extreme cold conditions.