It’s either a childhood dream come true or the beginning of a cheesy 80s movie. Either way, AI-powered dinosaurs are coming, pumped out by robotics companies looking to drum up a little prehistoric spectacle.
The firms involved both hail from China, the world heavyweight in robotics production. Within the last few weeks, the companies LimX Dynamics and Yuejiang Technology Co (Dobot) have both launched AI-powered robot dinosaur platforms, though with different approaches.
Dobot calls its version the Sinosauropteryx, named after the feathered, bipedal carnivore first uncovered by Chinese farmers in 1996. The robotic version, according to the South China Morning Post, features bipedal locomotion, optical sensors, and pre-programmed motion-controls.
A highlight video which made the rounds on Douyin, the Chinese varietal of TikTok, pokes fun at the concept, showing the near-lifelike Sinosauropteryx stalking around a museum at night. In the clip, the bot is tricked out in a feathery skin, though the SCMP says it can be changed to depict different critters from a bygone era.
In the future, Dobot’s raptor will likely find a home interacting with kids in museums and community education centers, which there are no shortage in China.
LimX, meanwhile, just shared a clip of its TRON1 bot dressed up like a T-Rex for Halloween. While seemingly not a purpose-built robo-dino like Dobot’s, the bipedal reptile is shown standing up to some bullying from its handlers, stabilizing itself and taking a guided stroll through the city.
The robo-dinos are the latest creations of China’s incredibly productive robotics industry. For years, China’s robotics sector has focused on industrial automation, but has begun spinning out into consumer and educational tech as hype in the industry booms. Robot-operated bodegas, for example, are taking Beijing by storm.
Now, given China’s penchant for crafting artificial islands, maybe it’s only a matter of time before we see a real-life Jurassic Park.
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