In Hefei's Baoh e District, robotic systems engineer Han Jiahe inputs commands at Hefei Zero Degree Robotics Co., Ltd., watching as the robot arm gently lifts a cup, fills it at a self-service beverage dispenser, and returns it to the table—all within one minute. "There's still room for improvement compared to client expectations; the grip force needs to be finer and the motion smoother," Han notes, logging adjustments for the team.
Han, 27, describes his role as bridging customer needs with technical solutions. After graduating in network engineering, he worked on image AI algorithms and large language models before joining the company last August. The firm's assistant general manager, Huang Rui, explains that despite the company being less than a year old, Han's cross-disciplinary learning ability impressed them during interviews. "Embodied intelligence evolves rapidly, and Han's adaptability across roles stood out," Huang says.
Initially, Han struggled with the hardware-software integration required in robotics. "I came from software algorithms and knew little about components or circuits," he admits. Colleagues, mostly in their mid-20s, mentored him patiently, and he gradually became proficient in hardware. With an average team age of just 26, the company fosters mutual learning, where seasoned members and newcomers push each other forward.
This year, the company launched its proprietary robot-enabled convenience store, adopting an "unmanned retail" model in cities like Shanghai and Hefei. Han contributed to refining the robot's navigation and store design. "Initially, the robot's movement paths were inaccurate, affecting item retrieval. After several iterations, we mounted radar on the base and redesigned the store layout to suit the robot's operation," he recalls. Through over a month of testing, the robot's stable operation extended from one hour to a full day.
The digital economy has spurred demand for robotics talent, with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security listing robotics engineers as a new occupation in 2022 and adding embodied intelligence technician roles this year. "Publishing these roles standardizes industry practices and sets benchmarks," Huang notes, adding that the company recently submitted proposals for new embodied intelligence job categories to the ministry.
Looking ahead, China's 15th Five-Year Plan prioritizes embodied intelligence as a growth driver. "This field is unpredictable—technologies can become outdated overnight," Han says. "But our young team grows alongside the industry, refining each detail and communication to make robots more practical and user-friendly. I believe embodied intelligence will reach its breakthrough moment."