Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, east China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Drone dropping box of drinks
2. Various of robot dog equipped with sensors
3. Various of four-legged robot with mechanical arm moving, lifting box
4. Various of spray painting robot on display

FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
5. Various of spray painting robot at work

Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, east China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
6. Various of spray-painting robots painting Chinese characters "Intelligent Competition for the Future," theme of 1st Intelligent Robot Application Skills Exhibition
7. Flags of Intelligent Robot Application Skills Exhibition
8. Various of rehearsal in progress, robot squads marching

Hundreds of robots will be tested for real-world roles at an upcoming expo in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, as the industry shifts from eye-catching demos to practical applications

The organizer, China Media Group, will host this Zhejiang leg of the 1st Intelligent Robot Application Skills Exhibition on Sunday, with more than 60 companies showcasing over 300 robots spanning special operations, smart commerce and public services.

Rather than showing off dazzling moves, the machines will recreate real work scenarios and demonstrate what they can do on the job. Ahead of the opening, robot squads are drilling hard at the rehearsal site.

Among them is a team that simulates an air-ground collaborative patrol. A drone drops supplies at a target location before a robot dog takes over. That dog is no rookie. It has already been deployed in chemical plants and industrial parks across the country, handling inspection and security duties, and is equipped with infrared cameras and gas sensors that let it sense its environment on its own.

Next comes a more unusual four-legged machine with a robotic arm. As the rehearsal shows, it can grab obstacles in its path. Though small, it handles objects weighing around two kilograms with ease, a capability that could prove valuable in hazardous settings such as nuclear power plants and chemical facilities.

Another machine on display is a spray painting robot. Its arm extends up to 3.2 meters, and it can build parametric maps on site and automatically plan its own painting routes for walls and ceilings. It is built for large, high-altitude spraying jobs, taking on the complex and grueling work that would otherwise fall to people.

China Media Group launched its first Intelligent Robot Application Skills Exhibition in Beijing in July, aiming to help smart robots find practical use across more fields and inject fresh momentum into economic and social development.