The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has unveiled the Hong Kong Embodied AI Lab, marking the establishment of the city’s first dedicated full-stack laboratory for this field. 

Announced on 18 May by CUHK’s InnoHK Hong Kong Centre for Logistics Robotics (HKCLR), the lab is designed to advance cutting-edge technologies in embodied artificial intelligence and robotics.

The initiative represents a significant commitment to strengthening Hong Kong’s AI industrial supply chain and commercialising research, supporting the territory’s ambition to become a leading international innovation and technology hub, CUHK said.

At the launch ceremony, Winnie Chan, Hong Kong’s assistant commissioner for innovation and technology, expressed confidence that the centre would function as a vital hub for collaboration between academia and industry, accelerating the transition from research findings to practical, real-world impact.

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Professor Liu Yunhui, the HKCLR’s director, noted that the centre’s mission is to drive embodied AI technologies out of the laboratory and hasten the commercialisation process. Professor Li Zhongyu, co-director of the new facility, further explained that embodied AI is key to deeply integrating artificial intelligence with the physical world, making it a pivotal area of research. 

The lab will focus on core technological studies and real-world testing while enhancing its partnership network with local and international research institutions, partners, and investors.

The launch event provided a glimpse of pioneering embodied AI robotic systems with wide-ranging potential for application in logistics, manufacturing, and services. Highlights included: Hong Kong’s first AI-powered dual-arm robotic platform (designed to tackle complex automated duties in domestic and service settings); a light (six kilogram) arm that delivers millimetre-level precision across multiple  operational scenarios; and an all-terrain quadruped robot that can travel autonomously over rugged ground.

To achieve its goals, the lab has established collaborations with 24 external organisations, including investors and innovation and technology enterprises. This framework aims to deepen cooperation across technology transfer, joint research, investment support, and industrial applications.