The nation's first AI home robot experience center opened in Qingdao, Shandong province, on Aug 16. This marks a significant step forward in transforming "hands-free homes" from concept to reality.

Created by Haier, the center showcases a range of household robots, including exoskeletons that assist the elderly, laundry robots that identify fabric types, and cooking robots that prepare meals independently.

This initiative represents Qingdao's strategic shift from being the home appliance capital to an innovation hub for embodied intelligence robots in northern China. The city's unique advantage lies in its world-leading smart home appliance industrial cluster, which provides an ideal ecosystem for developing robots that solve real household problems.

Haier's robot product line covers essential home scenarios, including mobility, cooking, chores, and companionship. Rather than simply selling devices, Haier offers an experience of a more effortless lifestyle. The company's profound understanding of home scenarios, backed by established supply chains and user data, gives it a distinct edge. This is evident as Haier has been approved to establish a national AI pilot base, allowing it to redefine what robots can do in homes.

Following a similar path, Hisense also recently unveiled its smart home robot lineup, including the Savvy, Moii, and Harley models, integrating robotics with whole-home intelligence.

A complete ecosystem — from core components and R&D to applications — is rapidly taking shape in Qingdao, positioning the city at the forefront of China's embodied intelligence revolution.

China's first AI home robot experience center opens in Qingdao, showcasing robots that handle chores and cooking, plus exoskeletons that assist with walking. [Photo/WeChat account: qdfbwx]