Making better robots depends on better data capture, Chinese firm 51World says
The race to develop intelligent humanoid robots faces a major roadblock in a severe shortage of high-quality training data, but Beijing-based tech company 51World believes it has the tools to break the bottleneck. Best…
Source: South China Morning Post · August 19, 2026 at 12:43 PM · AI-assisted report
Single-source
BEIJING, 19 AUGUST 2026 —
Chinese Tech Firm 51World Unveils Data Tools to Accelerate Humanoid Robot Development
Market Impact
BEIJING/SHENZHEN — The global push to develop intelligent humanoid robots hinges on overcoming a critical bottleneck: the scarcity of high-quality training data. Beijing-based 51World, a leader in digital twin and simulation technology, has introduced a new suite of data-collection devices and platforms designed to address this challenge.
On Tuesday, the company launched AperEgo, a headset equipped with a multi-camera system and sensors to capture panoramic, high-precision data from the physical environment, alongside wearable devices for hands and wrists. These tools aim to enhance the training of embodied AI systems—AI models that enable machines to perceive, reason, and interact with the real world.
The lack of high-precision data remains one of the most significant obstacles in the embodied AI industry, which is racing to build robots capable of stable and reliable operation, said Li Yi, 51World’s founder and CEO, during a launch event in Shenzhen. The company’s hardware suite, including the AperEgo headset and wrist and finger devices, synchronizes visual, motion, and audio inputs with high accuracy.
Data collected is processed through 51World’s AperOS platform, which filters out invalid data before uploading, reducing storage and computing costs. “The integration of hardware and software allows us to achieve precision levels of up to 99%,” Li stated. “This directly translates to greater accuracy and efficiency in robotics applications.”
China’s humanoid robot market is projected to reach 15 billion yuan (US$2.2 billion) by 2026, with growth expected to accelerate by at least 60% in 2027 as mass production scales and applications expand, according to a report by research firm TrendForce. 51World aims to power nearly 1,000 embodied AI-equipped robots with its platform by the end of this year.
The company’s ambitions align with Beijing’s broader push to integrate humanoid robots and embodied AI into production and service sectors, positioning the technology as a key driver of economic growth.
The Chinese government has prioritized the development of high-quality AI training data, unveiling a national plan in June to expand the supply, circulation, and commercialization of industry-specific datasets. Li emphasized that 51World’s decade-long experience in synthetic data and simulation platforms for autonomous driving has provided a foundation for its expansion into humanoid robotics.
“For embodied AI to scale effectively, it must adopt the same data-sharing model as autonomous vehicles, where real-world usage generates and shares data universally,” he said. “This is an inevitable path. Without matching the data costs, collection speeds, and generation efficiency of the auto sector, achieving artificial general intelligence will remain out of reach.”
Beyond China, 51World is eyeing opportunities in the United States, where humanoid robotics and embodied AI are also gaining traction. The global competition to develop advanced robotics has intensified, with companies and governments investing heavily in data infrastructure to train increasingly sophisticated AI models. Industry analysts note that high-quality, diverse datasets are essential for improving robotics’ adaptability in real-world environments, from manufacturing floors to healthcare settings.
In Malaysia, where the government has highlighted advanced manufacturing and automation as key economic priorities, the development of humanoid robots and embodied AI could have significant implications. Local manufacturers, particularly in electronics and automotive sectors, may benefit from improved robotics solutions that enhance precision and efficiency. However, the adoption of such technologies will depend on access to high-quality training data and the ability to integrate foreign-developed platforms like 51World’s into existing industrial ecosystems.
Stakeholders in Malaysia’s tech and manufacturing sectors have expressed cautious optimism about the potential of embodied AI. “The introduction of tools like AperEgo could streamline data collection for local robotics applications, but challenges remain in ensuring compatibility with regional operational standards,” said a spokesperson for the Malaysian Robotics and Automation Association. The association added that collaboration with international firms could accelerate adoption, provided that data privacy and security concerns are addressed.
Looking ahead, 51World plans to expand its data-collection ecosystem, with a focus on improving the scalability and accessibility of its platforms. The company’s roadmap includes partnerships with robotics developers in Southeast Asia, where demand for automation is rising. “Our goal is to make high-precision data collection as ubiquitous as possible,” Li said. “By doing so, we can unlock the next phase of innovation in embodied AI, not just in China but globally.”
As the race to develop intelligent robots intensifies, the availability of high-quality training data will determine which companies and countries lead the charge. For Malaysia and the broader region, the emergence of tools like 51World’s AperEgo could signal a new era of opportunity—one where advanced robotics play a role in shaping the future of industry and daily life.
Related: Beijing