For humanoid robots to search out large adoption, the builders and producers might want to make them inexpensive and helpful. Unitree final week unveiled its R1, with the usual mannequin priced at $5,900 — a fraction of what most different humanoids presently value.
The Hangzhou, China-based firm saved the worth down by retaining growth and manufacturing in-house. Compared, Unitree’s G1 robotic value greater than $13,000.
“Our core elements, together with motors and reducers, are independently developed and produced in-house,” Unitree informed The Robotic Report. “By way of years of robotic growth expertise, we’ve additional optimized the physique construction. Moreover, as our commercialization matures and we obtain large-scale manufacturing and supply, we’ve been in a position to obtain higher value management.”
Based in 2016, Unitree has developed legged robots for client and industrial use. Final month, it obtained Collection C funding that introduced its its valuation to about 12 billion yuan ($1.7 billion U.S.).
The race to construct commercially profitable humanoids continues to be aggressive, with new entrants weekly. Final week, EngineAI raised about $139 million because it strikes towards mass manufacturing of its robots.
The R1 is lighter and extra agile than the G1. (Click on right here to enlarge.) Supply: Unitree
Unitree shares R1 specs
The R1 humanoid stands 1.2 m (3.9 ft.) tall and weighs about 25 kg (55.1 lb.), making it barely smaller than the G1, which weighed 35 kg (77.1 lb.), and enabling it to maneuver with “lifelike” agility.
Unitree posted a video (above) of the R1 performing actions comparable to aspect flips, handstands, and boxing strikes. It confirmed off robotic boxing in Might.
“The brand new R1 boasts 26 joint modules (6 joints per leg x 2 + 2 waist joints + 5 joints per arm x 2 + 2 head joints),” mentioned Unitree. “It integrates multimodal giant fashions for voice and picture, which enormously lowers the event threshold, permitting builders to construct upon the R1 independently.”
A dexterous hand is optionally available for the academic variant of the R1. The brand new robotic runs on a lithium battery and has an eight-core CPU.
The tutorial model additionally has the choice of including NVIDIA Jetson Orin for 40 to 100 TOPS (trillions of operations per second). Unitree mentioned it can publish extra customization choices to its web site.
Autonomy nonetheless to return
In contrast to the humanoids from, say, Boston Dynamics or Agility Robotics, Unitree’s R1 is remote-controlled.
“Autonomy is achievable however requires secondary growth,” the corporate informed The Robotic Report. “We can have an EDU (academic) model that enables purchasers to carry out secondary growth, and it will possibly use ROS 2.”
Unitree demonstrated voice management of its boxing robotic in Might.
The corporate’s preliminary video for the R1 ends with a warning that customers ought to pay attention to such robots’ present limitations. Given among the hype round humanoids and security requirements nonetheless in growth, it’s an affordable warning.
“At the moment, public notion of robots — e.g., believing robots can instantly carry out family chores — has a niche with the precise state of robotic growth,” mentioned Unitree. “The warning on the finish of the video merely highlights that the robotics business continues to be evolving, with many actions and situations nonetheless below growth.”
“World business adoption, comparable to getting into manufacturing unit settings, public service industries, and private client sectors, will nonetheless take a while,” it added. “It’s not one thing that may be achieved instantly within the present stage.”
Unitree mentioned it’s actively exploring commercialization, however for now, it’s centered on advancing the worldwide humanoid robotic business. Within the quick time period, the corporate mentioned it hopes to make use of the R1 to advertise the worldwide robotic growth course of.
The R1 humanoid is out there in a client model and an academic model. Supply: Unitree
Study humanoid growth at RoboBusiness
The premiere occasion for expertise and enterprise growth, RoboBusiness 2025 shall be on Oct. 15 and 16 on the Santa Clara Conference Middle. It’ll embody a observe on humanoid robotics.
Deepu Talla, vp of robotics and edge AI at NVIDIA, will ship the opening keynote on “Bodily AI for the New Period of Robotics.” He shall be adopted by a panel on “Classes Discovered from the First Humanoid Deployments,” that includes:
- Jim Fan, director of AI and distinguished scientist at NVIDIA
- Katlyn Lewicke, head of world automation technique and intel at GXO Logistics
- Melonee Clever, chief product officer at Agility Robotics
Different can’t-miss classes on humanoids embody:
As well as, RoboBusiness will function informative classes about robotics innovation, enabling applied sciences, and enterprise growth. Attendees can go to greater than 60 exhibitors and expertise quite a few networking alternatives.
RoboBusiness shall be co-located with DeviceTalks West, which focuses on surgical and medical gadgets. Registration is now open.
