MAROKO133 Update ai: Japan’s Haneda airport deploys Unitree’s G1 humanoid robot to work al

📌 MAROKO133 Update ai: Japan’s Haneda airport deploys Unitree’s G1 humanoid robot

Humanoid robots will soon assist ground crews in Tokyo as Japan Airlines launches a trial to address growing labor shortages.

Starting in May, the Chinese-made machines will assist with moving baggage and cargo on the tarmac at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, working alongside human handlers.

The initiative, run with GMO Internet Group, comes as Japan faces rising tourism and a shrinking workforce. The trial will continue through 2028, with hopes of easing workloads and paving the way for permanent deployment.

Last month, researchers in Tokyo developed a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi chip resisting extreme radiation, enabling untethered robot operations in hazardous sites like Fukushima.

Smart baggage handling

Chinese-made humanoid robots from Unitree Robotics are being tested to handle baggage and cargo on the tarmac at Haneda Airport, which serves more than 60 million passengers annually.

During a recent media demonstration, a compact humanoid robot carefully pushed cargo onto a conveyor belt beside a Japan Airlines aircraft and gestured toward a nearby worker, highlighting early-stage coordination in real airport conditions, reports the Guardian.

Japan Airlines officials said deploying robots for physically demanding tasks could significantly reduce strain on workers and improve overall working conditions. However, the airline emphasized that critical responsibilities such as safety management will remain under human control.

As seen in the footage, the humanoid model, known as G1, stands about 1.32 meters tall and weighs 77 pounds (35 kilograms), with a foldable design for compact storage. It features 23 degrees of freedom, enabling stable and coordinated movement. Equipped with 3D LiDAR, a depth camera, and voice input systems, the robot can navigate and interact effectively. Powered by a 9,000 mAh battery, it operates for up to two hours and can move at speeds of up to 4.5 mph (7.2 km/h).

The Unitree G1 demonstrates an expanded range of motion, highlighting significant gains in flexibility, coordination, and adaptability in humanoid robotics. According to Unitree, its development begins in a virtual setting using Nvidia Isaac Simulator, where the robot is trained to perform complex behaviors.

Engineers create a digital twin of the G1 using motion capture and video data to replicate human actions. These movements are refined through reinforcement learning, allowing the system to improve through repeated simulation. The learned skills are then transferred to the real robot using the Sim2Real approach, enabling smooth execution in physical environments.

“By combining cutting-edge AI technology with the unique flexibility of humanoid forms, the project aims to realize a sustainable operational structure through labor savings and workload reduction,” said Japan Airlines in a statement.

Ground crew augmentation

Airport ground operations still rely heavily on manual labor, with workers managing baggage, cargo, and equipment in tight, high-pressure environments. The physically demanding nature of the job, combined with Japan’s shrinking working-age population, has created a growing labor gap across the aviation sector.

The challenge is intensifying as inbound tourism continues to rise. More than 7 million visitors arrived in the first two months of 2026, following a record 42.7 million the previous year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. At the same time, demographic trends suggest Japan may require over 6.5 million foreign workers by 2040 to sustain economic growth, even as political pressure mounts to limit immigration, reports The Guardian.

Attempts to automate airport tasks have so far been constrained by the limitations of conventional robots, which struggle in dynamic, unpredictable environments. Humanoid robots are now being considered as a more adaptable solution, as their human-like design allows them to function within existing airport infrastructure without extensive modifications.

The rollout will proceed in stages, starting with detailed observation of operations to identify suitable use cases, followed by testing in simulated real-world conditions. The long-term objective is to integrate robots alongside human workers, assigning them repetitive and physically intensive tasks to reduce strain and improve efficiency. Continuous evaluation will guide development, focusing on safety, performance, and practical deployment, reports Aero Time.

🔗 Sumber: interestingengineering.com

📌 MAROKO133 Update ai: 228-tonne inner safety dome installed at China’s 1100 MW nu

The inner safety dome was successfully installed at Unit 1 of the Shidaowon nuclear reactor in China’s Shandong province, marking an important milestone as the project transitions from the civil construction phase to the equipment installation phase. 

The Shidaowon nuclear is home to the High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor-Pebble-bed Module (HTR-PM). The demonstration consists of two small reactors that drive a 210 MWe turbine and test the potential of next-generation nuclear reactors. While this is in the works, China is also building large-scale reactors to meet its energy demands in the near future. 

In addition to building some of the world’s largest renewable energy plants, China is also investing heavily in large-scale nuclear reactors to meet its energy requirements in a carbon-free manner.

One of the many such sites under development in China is Shidaowon, which, when completed, will have an installed capacity of 4.8 GWe. 

Hualong One reactor

China’s State Council approved the construction of two units at Shidaowon in July 2023, and concrete for Unit 1 was poured a year later in July 2024. China Huaneng plans to build four Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors at the site. 

The Hualong One reactor design features a double-layered containment building, primarily to ensure integrity and prevent the release of radioactive material outside the structure. Part of the structure is the inner dome, a hyperboloid structure composed of 70 wall panels. 

The structure, weighing 227.9 tonnes, was hoisted and placed atop the containment walls earlier this week, marking the completion of the reactor’s construction phase. China Huaneng plans to construct four Hualong One reactors at the site in two phases. 

Reactors at Shidaowon

“Once all four units are completed and put into operation, the base will generate 35 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to meet the annual electricity needs of 17 million three-person households,” China Huaneng said in a press release. 

“This is equivalent to reducing standard coal consumption by 11.5 million tonnes and carbon dioxide emissions by 27.6 million tonnes annually.” These numbers are significant, given that China still relies heavily on coal for both industrial and domestic energy needs. As it looks to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, nuclear energy is expected to play a major role in its efforts. 

The Hualong One reactors at Shidaowon are expected to be connected to the grid by 2029. The first Hualong One reactor entered service in 2021 as Unit 5 of the Fuqing Nuclear Power Plant.

It has a 177 assembly core design with an 18-month refueling cycle and generates 1170 gross MWe output. Each reactor has a scheduled life of 60 years, and intellectual property rights are fully held in China. 

The Shidaowon site also has two Guohe One demonstration reactors. These are CAP1400 reactors, enlarged versions of the CAP1000 pressurized water nuclear reactors developed in collaboration with US-based Westinghouse.

The CAP1000 is one of the reactors China plans to deploy widely, while also exporting it to other countries interested in building nuclear energy assets. 

In addition to providing countries with easy ways to switch to renewable energy, China will now also help them switch to nuclear power without high input costs. 

🔗 Sumber: interestingengineering.com