Nansha helps pass Olympic flame

The underwater robot holds the Olympic torch. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

The first underwater robotic torch relay in Olympic history was carried out during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games torch relay in Beijing on Feb 2, local media outlets reported.

During the relay, the torchbearer passed the Olympic flame to an amphibious robot that slid into a hole in the ice with a burning torch. An underwater variable structure robot approached, and the two robots held torches and passed the flame precisely underwater.

The underwater torch relay robot was developed by several research institute units. Among them, the Guangdong Institute of Intelligent Unmanned System from Nansha participated in the research and development of the amphibious robot control system.

It only took more than half a year for the institute to complete the technical research, system development, as well as ice and underwater experiments of the amphibious robot control system.

"The outdoor working environment is very harsh, the conditions are difficult, but the successful debugging is worth it more than anything," said an official from the institute.

"This is the first time to realize the underwater robotic torch relay in the world, which has showcased China's technological progress in robotics," said Li Shuo, deputy head of the Guangdong Institute of Intelligent Unmanned System.