China’s Unitree Robotics Puts Humanoid Robot on Sale for $6,000 U.S. Dollars

What Happened?

Chinese robotics manufacturer Unitree Robotics has unveiled a new, humanoid robot called the R1, which is now on sale for $6,000 U.S. dollars. The Unitree R1 is approximately three feet tall and weighs roughly fifty-five pounds.

The R1 model is equipped with 24 to 26 degrees of freedom, allowing the robot to walk, squat, wave, balance, kick and – according to Unitree’s own demos – perform athletic feats including cartwheels.

The R1 also contains a number of cameras, microphones, and other sensors allowing it to gather information about the surrounding environment. 

Why it Matters

Most humanoid robots available for commercial sale cost many times more than $6,000 U.S. dollars, making Unitree’s R1 the first relatively affordable humanoid robot for mass consumption. The battery life for the R1 is only an hour, but it contains swappable batteries which can easily be replaced in a short amount of time. 

Unitree’s website tells potential buyers they need to understand the limitations of humanoid robots before making a purchase, so they will be aware of the constraints for the R1’s freedom of movement. Such a caveat is typical for most humanoid robots currently available for purchase, because the operating systems and software are still being refined and developed.

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To make a humanoid robot capable of performing human-like tasks, there are two types of challenges to be overcome. The first is mechanical, meaning the physical components of the robot have to be able to perform the given tasks.

Second, the software or operating system needs to know how and when to tell the robot to do so. With designs like the R1, the first challenge has for the most part been overcome. The design is capable of doing human-like tasks. The remaining challenge is to refine the software and operating system so the robot can actually perform.

Why sell a humanoid robot? The design itself is part of the answer. Human beings are used to seeing other humans on a daily basis, so a machine that looks human can be more appealing to potential buyers.

There are also practical reasons. Robots with two legs and arms can climb stairs, open doors, and perform other common everyday physical tasks that need to be done in human environments such as homes or office buildings.

While Unitree admits the R1 isn’t ready to start working on job sites or helping out in warehouses. More frequent usage could allow the company to gather the data it needs to refine the software so that its robots can do those types of things.

How it Affects You

Humanoid robots have many potential applications, from doing jobs too dangerous for humans to the performance of routine, mundane tasks like cleaning that humans can do but would prefer not to.

How the sales go for the R1 could be an indicator as to whether or not humanoid robotics will have a commercial future.

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