- Changes
- 2
- Tracking since
- Aug 2025
- Latest
- Jul 20, 2026
- Net movement
- Classification stable
- 2026
-
PNDbotics Adam demonstrates stair climbing and archery at WAIC 2026
PNDbotics showed Adam climbing a simulated staircase and drawing a bow to release an arrow at WAIC 2026 in Shanghai, the company's first public stair-climbing demonstration for the robot.
Full assessment
AutonomyL2 heldReadinessEarly Stage unchangedScoreScores unchangedThe sequence signals progress on an unstructured-terrain task that has challenged humanoid platforms broadly. Whether the maneuver holds up outside a curated exhibition booth is unverified.
Impact on autonomy
- First public demonstration of stair climbing on a simulated staircase setting.
- Archery sequence showed multi-joint coordination for a full-body precision task.
- Exhibition also featured teleoperated motion capture, unrelated to autonomous operation.
Impact on readiness
- Demo occurred in a controlled exhibition booth, not an independent test.
- No commercial availability or pricing was announced alongside the demonstration.
Claim check3 claims reviewed
Coverage framed the stair climbing as a milestone unstructured-terrain capability.Gasgoo reported it as Adam's first public stair-climbing demonstration in an exhibition setting, not an independent or long-duration test.The archery demo was presented as evidence of dexterous manipulation.TechEBlog described a single bow-draw-and-release sequence; no source reviewed documents repeatability or accuracy across attempts.WAIC exhibits are often described as proof of autonomous operation.The same booth also featured a teleoperated motion-capture demo, underscoring that WAIC showcases mix autonomous and operator-driven displays.Bottom lineThe WAIC 2026 demonstrations add a newly showcased capability without changing the robot's documented autonomy classification.
Technical notes3 sections
- Stair-Climbing Demonstration
-
At WAIC 2026 in Shanghai (July 17-20, 2026), PNDbotics showed Adam, its 167 cm, 43-degree-of-freedom full-size humanoid, walking a simulated staircase with what Gasgoo described as stable balance in an unstructured setting. The outlet reported it as the first public exhibition demonstration of stair climbing for the platform.
- Archery Sequence
-
TechEBlog documented a separate demonstration in which Adam held a bow, drew the string, and released an arrow, describing the sequence as a full-body task requiring coordinated strength and timing across multiple joints.
- Other Booth Demonstrations
-
The same exhibition also featured a teleoperated motion-capture demonstration, with an operator’s movements mapped onto the robot in real time, and a separate showing of the Adam-U upper-body platform performing vision-language-model picking tasks. Those are distinct capabilities from Adam’s own stair and archery sequences.
- 2025
-
PNDbotics Adam wins gold in martial arts at World Humanoid Robot Games
PNDbotics' Adam won the Martial Arts discipline at the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on August 15, 2025, completing a judged routine before a panel of judges.
Full assessment
AutonomyL2 heldReadinessEarly Stage unchangedScoreScores unchangedEvent coverage describes most competing robots, Adam included, as operating primarily under remote control rather than autonomously. Whether PNDbotics narrows that gap toward independent operation in future events remains unconfirmed.
Impact on autonomy
- Choreographed martial arts routine relied on remote operator control, not autonomy.
- No source documents balance recovery working without human intervention.
- Demonstrated coordinated multi-joint motion control across choreographed strikes and stances.
Impact on readiness
- Competition result does not indicate consumer-facing availability or a commercial timeline.
- Event highlighted balance and torque control relevant to future task reliability.
Claim check3 claims reviewed
Coverage described Adam as winning gold in a martial arts competition.Global Times and event coverage confirm the win, under the Martial Arts discipline's choreographed, judged format rather than open combat.Some framing treated the win as evidence of advanced robot autonomy.Coverage of the Games states most competing robots, including entrants like Adam, operated primarily via remote control.Adam's overall Games showing was described as a dominant performance.Coverage also credits a PNDbotics entrant as the only full-size humanoid to complete the Games' separate 100-meter obstacle course.Bottom lineThe martial arts win documents PNDbotics' hardware and choreography capability, not a verified autonomy advance.
Technical notes3 sections
- Competition Format
-
The Martial Arts discipline at the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing judged choreographed forms performed before a panel, spanning styles coverage described as ranging from Tai Chi to Hung Kuen. The finals concluded August 15, 2025 at the National Speed Skating Oval, a repurposed 2022 Winter Olympics venue. PNDbotics’ Adam placed first in the discipline among teams drawn from the Games’ 280 participating squads.
- Operating Mode
-
Coverage of the Games broadly describes competing robots, Adam included, as operating primarily under remote control during the event, with organizers and teams stating future editions are targeted toward greater autonomy. No source reviewed documents an autonomous, unassisted performance of Adam’s routine.
- Other Games Results
-
Separate from the martial arts final, a PNDbotics entrant was reported as the only full-size humanoid to complete the Games’ 100-meter obstacle course, though run conditions for that result were not detailed in the sources reviewed.