At the scene of AWE2026, we witnessed the collective "evolution" of robots.

On the 15th, the 2026 China Appliance & Electronics Expo (AWE2026) just came to an end.

This technological feast themed "AI Technology, Smartly Enjoy the Future" adopted the "One Exhibition, Two Zones" model for the first time, taking place at the Oriental Hub International Business Cooperation Zone and the New International Expo Center.

Among them, the exhibition area at the New International Expo Center spanned 13 exhibition halls, with a display area of over 140,000 square meters, showcasing the in - depth integration of household appliances, consumer electronics, and the whole - house smart ecosystem.

The newly established Oriental Hub exhibition area, with a space of 30,000 square meters, focused on cutting - edge hardcore technologies. There were no traditional household appliance displays here. Instead, it featured the latest breakthroughs in AI chips, computing power, and embodied intelligence. Thanks to the policies of "tax - free products and visa - free entry for personnel", a large number of global buyers flocked to the exhibition halls, making this place an "international reception room" where Made in China directly faced global buyers.

Walking into the Oriental Hub exhibition area, refrigerators and air conditioners were no longer the absolute protagonists. What greeted the eyes were humanoid robots holding brushes to write, vacuum cleaners climbing stairs, and even flying cars that could enter the low - altitude economy. If one word were used to define this year's AWE, it would be "disruptive evolution".

01 The Low - Altitude Breakthrough of Flying Cars from Concept to Reality

If flying cars were just "out - of - reach" concept models last year, this year at the Oriental Hub exhibition area, they were right in front of people's eyes. The most eye - catching one was XPeng HT Aero's "Land Aircraft Carrier".

XPeng HT Aero's "Land Aircraft Carrier". Image source: On - site shooting at AWE2026 by Machine Frontline

This world's first mass - produced split - type flying car unveiled three car colors on - site: Stellar Ring Silver, Lunar Rock Gray, and Superstar White. Its highlight lies in the "split - type" design: the land - going vehicle is a three - axle, six - wheel extended - range hybrid car with a CLTC comprehensive range of over 1,000 kilometers and can be driven with a Class C driver's license; the flying vehicle is a six - axis, six - propeller, double - ducted configuration that can be folded and stored in the trunk. The on - site staff introduced that its on - board automatic separation and combination mechanism can complete separation/combination within 5 minutes. The flying vehicle has a range of over 500 kilometers and can still fly safely even if 2 out of 6 rotors fail.

The flying vehicle. Image source: On - site shooting at AWE2026 by Machine Frontline

Standing in front of this huge object, as an on - site observer, my feelings were undoubtedly complex. On the one hand, I was shocked by China's supply - chain's ability to integrate complex projects; on the other hand, I was also thinking that the design of the flying vehicle charging the land - going vehicle 5 - 6 times, although solving the range anxiety, also means that users need to find a balance between the dual maintenance of the "car" and the "airplane" and the scene switching.

In addition to XPeng HT Aero, one could also see the in - depth cooperation between RortiX under Dreame Technology and Yushi Technology, as well as the M1 eVTOL brought by Yufeng Future, one of the "Five Little Dragons of eVTOL in Shanghai". The low - altitude economy is no longer just a dream on PPT but has entered the stage of real - money industrial implementation.

Yufeng Future's M1 eVTOL. Image source: On - site shooting at AWE2026 by Machine Frontline

02 The Awakening of Humanoid Robots: Transitioning from "Skill - Showing Performances" to "Productivity Tools"

Humanoid robots were undoubtedly the star attractions at this year's AWE. At the Oriental Hub exhibition area, many "humanoid figures" were busy in every corner, but their tasks were quite different.

ZhiYuan Robotics brought its entire product line to the exhibition, with a luxurious lineup. The Expedition A2 full - size humanoid robot held a brush and wrote the Chinese characters "Fu" (blessing) and "Lu" (fortune) on - site. Although the strokes were a bit clumsy, the focused look made people feel as if they were watching a student practicing calligraphy. This robot, specially customized for interactive service scenarios, is 169 cm tall and weighs about 69 kg. It has over 40 degrees of freedom throughout its body and is equipped with a 700Wh battery that can support about 2 hours of operation.

Expedition A2. Image source: On - site shooting at AWE2026 by Machine Frontline

Next to it, the Lingxi X2 danced to the music with well - controlled movements and could even have real - time conversations and interactions with the audience, demonstrating the potential of small humanoid robots in entertainment performance scenarios. As the first "agile robot" with real complex interaction capabilities, it has millisecond - level interaction response capabilities and the ability to understand and perceive the world through vision.

Lingxi X2. Image source: On - site shooting at AWE2026 by Machine Frontline

The industrial - grade interactive embodied robot Elf G2 danced with the audience on - site and, with its high - precision industrial - grade robotic arm, dexterously grabbed the lucky pony plush souvenirs. It's worth mentioning that the Elf G2 supports continuous voice conversations with multiple people and knowledge - base Q&A. It uses the dual - battery hot - swapping technology, which allows it to quickly "come back to life" and ensures continuous performance.

Elf G2. Image source: On - site shooting at AWE2026 by Machine Frontline

The booth of Unitree Technology was full of a competitive atmosphere. They set up a boxing ring, and the G1 humanoid robot, the same model as the one on the Spring Festival Gala, became the "Iron Fist King" and staged a fighting competition on - site. It weighs only about 35 kg but can perform high - difficulty actions such as flips and jumps, relying on its self - developed high - performance motors and motion control algorithms. In the ring, its straight punches, hook punches, dodges, and counter - attacks were smooth, breaking the stereotype of robots having stiff movements again.

Unitree G1. Image source: On - site shooting at AWE2026 by Machine Frontline

In the field of rehabilitation medicine, the GR - 3 humanoid robot exhibited by Fourier Intelligence represents another kind of gentle power. As a general - purpose humanoid robot, the GR - 3 was designed with rehabilitation training and disability - assistance scenarios in mind from the start. Its force - control system can sense the weak force exerted by patients and provide appropriate assistance.

Fourier GR - 3. Image source: On - site shooting at AWE2026 by Machine Frontline

From these on - site exhibits, it can be clearly seen that humanoid robots are evolving along two distinct paths: one is the "sports performance school" represented by Unitree and the Expedition series of ZhiYuan Robotics, which pursues ultimate flexibility and explosive power and targets industrial inspections and special operations; the other is the "human - robot interaction school" represented by Fourier GR - 3 and some interactive robots, which emphasizes force - control safety and emotional communication ability and focuses on scenarios that require in - depth human - robot collaboration, such as medical care, elderly care, and services.

There is no superiority or inferiority between these two technical routes. The key lies in who can be the first to find customers willing to pay in niche scenarios and make the crucial leap from a "skill - showing performer" to a "productivity tool" in commercial implementation.

03 Quadruped Robots Are No Longer Just "Dogs" but Have Achieved Bionic Evolution

The exhibition area of quadruped robots was always surrounded by audiences because they are flexible enough and "cute" enough. But this year, they are no longer satisfied with being just walking dogs.

DeepRobotics brought two products. The Jueying Lite3, a lightweight quadruped robot, demonstrated its ability to pass through complex terrains. It could climb slopes and cross gravel roads effortlessly, thanks to its upgraded perception system and motion algorithms.

Jueying Lite3. Image source: On - site shooting at AWE2026 by Machine Frontline

The other product, the robot Ma Yunju, was even more eye - catching. It was larger in size and had a stronger load - carrying capacity. It was dressed up as a "fiery red horse" on - site, and with the lighting effects, it was like a mythical beast walking out of a legend. This attempt to package industrial - grade quadruped robots with IP and cultural and creative elements is undoubtedly a smart move to expand commercial implementation scenarios.

Ma Yunju. Image source: On - site shooting at AWE2026 by Machine Frontline

ZhiYuan Robotics' Kutuotuo D1 also came up with something new. It is not only a quadruped robot but also a "Jack - of - all - trades". On - site, the Kutuotuo D1 was dressed up as a fiery red horse, a panda dog, a lion dog, and other forms and completed a series of performances in the dynamic stage area. This idea of adapting to different scenarios (such as theme parks and commercial activities) through DIY appearance greatly reduces the aesthetic fatigue of robots and extends the product's life cycle.

Kutuotuo D1. Image source: On - site shooting at AWE2026 by Machine Frontline

Kutuotuo D1. Image source: On - site shooting at AWE2026 by Machine Frontline

The Go2 quadruped robot that appeared at the Unitree booth was also impressive. It and the G1 formed a "biped + quadruped" powerful combination, completing the full - scenario layout. The Go2 is equipped with a self - developed 4D ultra - wide - angle lidar with a 360°×90° perception range. Its environment perception performance has been improved by 200% compared with the previous generation, enabling it to walk adaptively on all terrains. Paired with an AI large - model decision - making system, it can plan paths autonomously, covering professional inspections, scientific research explorations, family companionship, and commercial interaction scenarios. It complements humanoid robots in scenarios and broadens the market coverage.