Hangzhou 6B Hall to Host Embodied AI Robot Challenge With Fan Interaction

From Sept. 23 to 27, the 2026 Global Digital Trade Innovation Competition (Embodied AI Robot Challenge) will be held at Hall 6B of the Hangzhou Grand Convention and Exhibition Center. It is a concurrent event of the fifth Global Digital Trade Expo.

Hangzhou's robot-related activities will be particularly busy in September, and the embodied AI challenge is one of the public highlights during the expo.

Visitors can watch robots compete in 100-meter races, soccer, combat, and tug-of-war, or step onto the field to race and shoot hoops against them. Those who film videos and post them on Douyin may receive customized event cups and tote bags.

The organizer advises the public to check the daily schedule in advance and plan viewing time according to personal interests. The event may differ from traditional robot competitions that audiences only watch from the stands.

The challenge features a heavy schedule: 100-meter, 60-meter, shuttle run, and obstacle courses test how fast and stable the robots are.

Soccer, freestyle combat, tug-of-war, fixed-point shooting, and standing high jump examine how robots perform in collaboration, confrontation, and precision control.

These events place motion ability, balance, and interaction capability under comparison on the same field.

One hardcore event tests robot endurance: a six-hour 100-meter shuttle endurance race. Robots must run continuously for six hours, exposing battery life, stability, gait control, and long-duration performance.

Starting on the afternoon of Sept. 25, several human-robot interaction events will open, including 60-meter human-robot sprint, fixed-point shooting, soccer challenge, robot dog obstacle crossing, and robot boxing. On-site queuing and number distribution will be used, and slots are limited.

In the 60-meter sprint, spectators are recruited each round to start alongside a humanoid robot and sprint after the signal. In fixed-point shooting, spectators and robots take turns, with each side shooting three balls to compare accuracy.

Robot dog obstacle crossing begins with operation training, after which participants remotely control the dog through the course. Robot boxing allows participants to control a robot for a 1v1 experience under staff guidance.

The site also features a Douyin check-in activity: visitors can film the most interesting robot, post the video with a designated hashtag, and receive event merchandise. Robots crossing the finish line, fighting, shooting, or falling and getting back up can all be filmed by the audience.

Hall 6B also hosts an enterprise product innovation exhibition, where companies present robot bodies, sensors, motion capture systems, and intelligent equipment, including six-axis force sensors, motion capture systems, robot motion data collection devices, massage robots, and ice cream robots.

The Embodied AI Innovation Workshop roadshow will also take place, with innovative companies presenting their latest results. Between competitions, robot bands and robot dance performances are planned; the band robots play music, audiences can request songs from a list, and robot group dances can be specified on site.

The event is held alongside the fifth Global Digital Trade Expo. Visitors can enter with a Digital Trade Expo ticket, which covers both the full expo area and the robot challenge in Hall 6B.

No algorithm or coding knowledge is needed. Visitors can watch robots race, compete against them, film a video for merchandise, and let a robot make them an ice cream.

Hall 6B's theme is 'don't just watch, join in.' Those who cannot attend need not worry: the entire event from Sept. 23 to 27 will be streamed in high definition, allowing online viewers to watch every highlight.

From Sept. 23 to 27, Hall 6B, Hangzhou Grand Convention and Exhibition Center.

The robots are ready and waiting for visitors.

To participate and receive a free ticket, follow 'Robot Lecture Hall' and forward this article to WeChat Moments, then contact Dr. Tang 3 (WeChat: Robospeak2015) to obtain a discount code for free admission. Tickets are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

The 2026 Global Digital Trade Innovation Competition (Embodied AI Robot Challenge) runs from Sept. 23 to 27. Public opening hours are Sept. 23 and from 1 p.m. Sept. 24 to 2 p.m. Sept. 27; entry stops 30 minutes before closing, subject to venue conditions.