Ancient Taishan Mountain becomes testbed for next-gen robotics

Taishan Mountain, Tai'an, the venue for the world's first robot climbing competition, is turning its industrial depth and comprehensiveembodied intelligence supply chain into a real-world testing ground for robotics. This initiative pushes innovation beyond the lab and positions the city as an emerging hub for future industries.

The inaugural CMG World Robot Taishan Mountain (Taishan) Competition, which was held on Nov 2 in Tai'an, Shandong province, brought together robotics teams to test their technologies on one of China's most iconic mountain routes.

The event reflects Tai'an's growing industrial strength in intelligent equipment and robotics. In recent years, the city has prioritized new industrialization, building a modern industrial system,and a future-industry layout. Tai'an is now home to 1,479 industrial enterprises above designated size, 22 national manufacturing champions, and 65 national-level "little giant" enterprises.

The city has developed a relatively complete embodied intelligence supply chain, spanning core materials, precision components, whole-machine integration, and algorithm support. Companies such as Taishan Fiberglass and Zhenting Jinggong supply key structural materials, while Shandong Tengyang Intelligent Equipment and Jcrobots Intelligent Technology (Shandong) provide system integration. China Customer Relations Centers, as the chief chain leader of Shandong's AI industry chain, works with over 30 digital ecosystem partners to support embodied intelligence training and data services.

The competition serves as a real-world testbedfor robots' perception, balance, and endurance on complex mountain terrain, pushing innovation from laboratories toward practical applications such as field inspection and emergency rescue.

Tai'an aims to turn event traffic into industrial opportunities, attract robotics talent and projects, and further cultivate its robotics and intelligent equipment ecosystem. The competition also highlights how ancient cultural heritage can serve as a platform for showcasing modern technological innovation.

The inaugural CMG World Robot Taishan Mountain (Taishan) Competition kicks off on Nov 2 in Tai'an, Shandong province. [Photo by Chen Yang/for chinadaily.com.cn]