Quadruped robotics company Unitree unveiled its newest creation - the H1 humanoid robot. Leveraging expertise from its dog-like Go2 quadruped line, Unitree is branching into bipedal robots with the 5-foot-11, 100lb humanoid.
In a social media teaser video, Unitree provided the first glimpse of H1. The robot incorporates Unitree's proprietary high-torque joint motors and gearing, along with a LiDAR sensor and depth camera for perception. H1's leg joints have 5 degrees of freedom, while its arm joints have 4 DOF.
No official release timeline was given, but Unitree claims commercial availability within 3-10 years. The target price is under $90,000 - competitive for a general-purpose humanoid. Hands are still in development and absent from the initial images.
As a leader in agile quadruped robots like Go2, Unitree can adapt key technologies like mechanical designs, perception and locomotion algorithms to biped applications. This gives the company a head start relative to other humanoid developers.
According to Unitree, H1's joint torque of 360N.m delivers maximum power and performance compared to similar humanoids. Weighing just 47kg, the robot aims to balance strength, sophistication and affordability.
While still years from release, Unitree's surprise reveal of its humanoid ambitions demonstrates commitment to diversifying beyond quadrupeds. By leveraging its expertise into new forms, H1 reflects Unitree's drive to advance the state of dynamic legged robotics.
Specs:
- Height: 1805 x 570 x 220 mm (71″ x 22″ x 8.9″)
- Weight: 47kg (103 lbs)
- Walking speed: 1500 mm/sec (3.4 mph)
With the humanoid announcement, Unitree joins a growing number of high-profile robotics companies in the race to develop a multi-purpose humanoid. We will be discussing the state of humanoids in the opening keynote panel of RoboBusiness 2023. The discussion will feature Geordie Rose, co-founder and CEO of Sanctuary, Jeff Cardenas, co-founder and CEO of Apptronik, and Jonathan Hurst, co-founder and chief robot officer of Agility Robotics. The panel will share firsthand insights into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead and discuss the industries poised to be early adopters of these remarkable creations.
