(Yicai) Feb. 25 -- Boton Technology’s shares climbed after the Chinese maker of industrial conveyor belts said it has been talking with Unitree Robotics about deploying robots in industrial settings.

After soaring by as much as 18 percent after the trading lunch break, Boton [SHE: 300031] finished 3 percent higher at CNY26.21 (USD3.61) a share today.

Boton and Unitree, which develops industrial and consumer robots, had in-depth discussions on the use of robots in industrial scenarios, particularly exploring their deployment in the areas of mining, metal smelting, cement and building materials, and port transport, the Wuxi-based firm said in a press release.

Boton makes bulk cargo transportation equipment and systems, and is perhaps best known for its industrial conveyor belts. Its intelligent cleaning and inspection robot systems have been scaled for use in places such as ports and steel mills.

Earlier today, US robotics firm Boston Dynamics revealed that it had bought some of Hangzhou-based Unitree’s robots for testing and research purposes.

Unitree also shared a video on social media today showing its G1 humanoid robot doing some kung fu martial arts kicks. The company, set up in 20216, noted that it has been continuously enhancing the G1’s algorithm, allowing it to learn and replicate almost any human movement.

Editor: Tom Litting