A humanoid robot dances after it is trained by Flycode. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]

In a lab at Hangzhou's Binjiang Embodied Intelligence Robot Town, a choreographer wearing motion-capture sensors dances while her movements are recorded. The data later becomes lessons that allow humanoid robots to perform on stage.

The training is run by Flycode, a company that does not manufacture robots but specializes in secondary development to expand their abilities.

Flycode has built three core systems. The Tianshu system acts as the robot's "brain", enabling vision, voice interaction and decision-making. Tianxuan functions like a "cerebellum", controlling movement so robots can dance, climb steps or even perform backflips. Meanwhile, Tianxun provides navigation capabilities, mainly for quadruped robots used in inspection and security.

The systems can adapt to most mainstream robot models, allowing rental companies to train their robots for tasks such as guiding visitors, retail promotion or street-dance performances.

Today, the company serves more than 280 robot rental firms nationwide. Its robots have already appeared in public events such as the Yuyuan Lantern Festival in Shanghai, performing tasks like writing calligraphy, doing tai chi and joining light-up ceremonies.

Founded in Hangzhou in 2024, Flycode has expanded rapidly, securing strategic investment from tech giant iFlytek in 2025. With a new round of financing completed this year, the company plans to develop more commercial scenarios, including robot bands, food delivery and industrial inspections, giving robots an ever-growing skill set.

A humanoid robot practices tai chi at a tourist site. [Photo/Tide News]