As the lights inside the National Speed Skating Oval dimmed on Friday evening, two rows of humanoid robots raised their drumsticks. Some wore crimson robes with gilded, cloud-shaped shoulder pieces; others silver suits cut for the future. Before them stood Chinese drums painted with red dragons. A few meters away a human orchestra of tubas, trumpets and flutes settled in, and machines and musicians counted the same beat.

What do the events at the World Humanoid Games tell us about the state of humanoid robots? Plenty ... including a market map of where they'll be commercialized first.

The public got to see the latest machines from China's robot makers during the World Robot Conference in Beijing, featuring more than 2,000 exhibits and debuting over 150 products.