{"id":45260,"date":"2026-04-24T14:41:47","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T12:41:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vnc-china.nl\/event\/china-cafe-south-robots-uncovered-whats-real-whats-hype-in-europe-and-china\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T15:48:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T13:48:16","slug":"china-cafe-south-robots-uncovered-whats-real-whats-hype-in-europe-and-china","status":"publish","type":"tribe_events","link":"https:\/\/www.vnc-china.nl\/en\/event\/china-cafe-south-robots-uncovered-whats-real-whats-hype-in-europe-and-china\/","title":{"rendered":"China Caf\u00e9 South; Robots uncovered, what\u2019s real, what\u2019s hype in Europe and China"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Join us on May 18 in Eindhoven<\/strong> for an engaging China Caf\u00e9<\/strong> where we take a closer look at the world of robotics<\/strong>\u2014beyond the hype. Robots often appear more intelligent than they really are, but what can they actually do today, and where are they already making a real impact? In this accessible and thought-provoking session, we\u2019ll explore how robotics is developing differently in Europe and China. While Europe often emphasizes regulation, ethics, and precision, China is moving at remarkable speed, driven by large-scale investment and rapid real-world deployment\u2014from factories to everyday services. The rapid progress of humanoid robots in China was recently highlighted by their participation in\u2014and even winning of\u2014a marathon, illustrating how quickly this technology is moving from experimentation into real-world capability By comparing these approaches, we\u2019ll uncover not just technological differences, but also the cultural and economic forces shaping innovation. <\/p>\n

During the session, Jos Elfring, assistant professor at Eindhoven University of Technology<\/span><\/span><\/strong> will be interviewed about his insights and experience in this field, offering an expert perspective on the opportunities and challenges of robotics today. Furthermore, we will interview Michiel Ebbing, working for V2Future<\/strong>, official European distributor of Unitree Robotics, a global leader in advanced quadruped robots and humanoid robotic systems. He will share his experiences from a business and entrepreneurial point of view. Expect a lively, balanced conversation that separates fact from fiction and invites you to see robotics from a fresh perspective. <\/p>\n

After the interview we have ample opportunity for networking over drinks and snacks, offered by VNC free of charge. Join us! <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Programm:<\/p>\n

17.00 – 17.30 walkin and networking<\/p>\n

17.30 – 18.30 interview<\/p>\n

18.30 – 19.00 networking<\/p>\n

Language is English<\/p>\n

About the speakers:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Jos Elfring<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Jos Elfring earned his PhD in Robotics<\/strong> in 2014 from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology. Over the following decade, he worked at TNO, Smart Robotics, TomTom, and VDL in roles ranging from researcher to technical lead and architect. A consistent theme throughout his career has been the development of world models that enable autonomous robots to perceive, understand, and operate more effectively in complex environments. In 2024, he transitioned to academia, joining the Robotics section at Eindhoven University of Technology as an assistant professor<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Michiel Ebbing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michiel was born and raised in the Netherlands, where he studied Business (BSc) and Finance (MSc) at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Alongside his studies, he learned Mandarin Chinese while living in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Chongqing. He started his career at the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, followed by a role at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. His entrepreneurial drive eventually led him to found his own company, focused on bridging the gap between China and Europe. He became an official partner of Alibaba.com, helping European businesses tap into the platform’s full potential as a global sourcing and trade hub. That same passion for connecting East and West now drives his work at V2Future, where he serves as a key player in bringing cutting-edge technology to Europe. V2Future is the official European distributor of Unitree Robotics, a global leader in advanced quadruped robots and humanoid robotic systems. Michiel is committed to making next-generation robotics accessible and actionable for businesses across Europe. <\/p>\n

Location
\nAcademic Society AG Eindhoven<\/a>
\nParklaan 93, Eindhoven<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

This China Cafe has been made possible by BOM (Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maaatschappij)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Please register here:<\/strong>
\nTickets are transferable but non refundable.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Join us on May 18 in Eindhoven for an engaging China Caf\u00e9 where we take a closer look at the world of robotics\u2014beyond the hype. Robots often appear more intelligent […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":854,"featured_media":36927,"template":"","meta":{"_tribe_events_status":"","_tribe_events_status_reason":"","_tribe_events_is_hybrid":"","_tribe_events_is_virtual":"","_tribe_events_virtual_video_source":"","_tribe_events_virtual_embed_video":"","_tribe_events_virtual_linked_button_text":"","_tribe_events_virtual_linked_button":"","_tribe_events_virtual_show_embed_at":"","_tribe_events_virtual_show_embed_to":[],"_tribe_events_virtual_show_on_event":"","_tribe_events_virtual_show_on_views":"","_tribe_events_virtual_url":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"tribe_events_cat":[330,405,357,361],"class_list":["post-45260","tribe_events","type-tribe_events","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tribe_events_cat-china-cafe-calendar","tribe_events_cat-economics-and-business-en","tribe_events_cat-economie-en-zakelijk-en","tribe_events_cat-vnc-event-en","cat_china-cafe-calendar","cat_economics-and-business-en","cat_economie-en-zakelijk-en","cat_vnc-event-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vnc-china.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tribe_events\/45260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vnc-china.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tribe_events"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vnc-china.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/tribe_events"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vnc-china.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/854"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.vnc-china.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tribe_events\/45260\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45597,"href":"https:\/\/www.vnc-china.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tribe_events\/45260\/revisions\/45597"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vnc-china.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vnc-china.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vnc-china.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45260"},{"taxonomy":"tribe_events_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vnc-china.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tribe_events_cat?post=45260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}