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Unitree Robotics unveiled its newest era G1 humanoid robotic at ICRA 2024. The unique Unitree H1 humanoid was first launched in 2023 and made well-known in quite a lot of movies demonstrating its balancing and strolling capabilities.
The Unitree H1 was a well-liked demo in the course of the CES 2024, the place the Unitree sales space was slammed all through the present. In April, Unitree introduced the H1 to NVIDIA GTC and walked the robotic by the crowded aisles.
Unitree has develop into well-known within the early days of the humanoid race as the primary humanoid robotic to take the robotic off of its tether and stroll it round in public, assured within the robotic’s capability to steadiness and stand with out falling on anybody.
Unitree has been lively over the past yr, producing quite a lot of movies of the H1 humanoid, typically in response to advertising movies from opponents like Boston Dynamics, Agility Robotics, Tesla, Determine and Apptronik. The movies from Unitree function human wranglers pushing, kicking, and shoving the robotic to indicate its agility and talent to steadiness. That is an homage to the early Boston Dynamics Atlas movies made well-known for “robotic bullying.”
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Unitree additionally confirmed an electric-powered humanoid doing a flip on flat floor. This was yet one more homage to the well-known Boston Dynamics hydraulic-powered Atlas robotic doing comparable athletic and parkour stunts. Notably, because it launched the H1, Unitree has tried to set itself aside from the humanoid pack from a robotic strolling, working, and balancing perspective.
Enter the Unitree G1 humanoid
The very first thing you discover in regards to the new Unitree G1 humanoid is that it’s considerably smaller in dimension and stature than the H1 humanoid. The Unitree H1 is the scale of a mean grownup (180 cm), whereas the Unitree G1 is the scale of an common eight yr previous (127cm).
The smaller stature and design of the G1 requires much less materials and might use smaller motors than the H1, but each models weigh about the identical (47 kg). With a smaller robotic, you’d anticipate to have a cheaper invoice of supplies. The G1 has an inventory value of $16,000 (base configuration) whereas the H1 has a base value of $90,000.
The Unitree G1 humanoid is shorter than its predecessor, the Unitree H1 humanoid. | Credit score: Nathan Peterman
“Concerning the design and manufacturing of robots, each element is crucial as a way to enhance efficiency and scale back prices,” Unitree mentioned when requested how it’s decreasing the price of the G1 to such a low entry level. “For instance, scale back the variety of wires and cables, scale back the variety of chips, scale back screws, and so on. These could seem primary, however are literally very crucial and necessary.
“Aside from the chips, nearly all of the {hardware} of our robots is designed by ourselves. Via our previous robotic design and manufacturing expertise, this has higher efficiency and decrease value. Though it could appear opposite to widespread sense, for instance, the motors and reducers are all fashions designed by us.”
As as to if the H1 would develop into out of date with the launch of the G1, Unitree advertising director Duke Huang mentioned, “Completely not. H1 remains to be our strongest humanoid robotic and [we’ll] proceed to keep up and assist prospects. There’s a massive distinction between H1 and G1 by way of dimension, value, and efficiency. G1 is extra compact, extra stunning, comparatively small, and straightforward to make use of and keep. In fact, because of its smaller dimension, its energy efficiency remains to be far behind H1.”
The Unitree G1 has quite a lot of options and will be optioned from the entry-level unit to the absolutely featured model. | Credit score: Unitree Robotics
In response to Unitree, the G1 humanoid will be optioned with articulating, force-controlled, three-fingered palms, which might additional be optioned with tactile suggestions. The robotic battery has an working time of “about 2 hours” and is designed to be rapidly swapped out. For sensors, the robotic options 3D LiDAR and Intel RealSense D435 cameras.
The robotic additionally contains a quick strolling pace of two,000 mm/s (4.5 MPH). That is quick for any of the competing humanoids or AMRs presently available on the market.
Goal marketplace for Unitree G1 humanoid
With its diminutive stature, this design choice successfully eliminates Unitree G1 from a sensible human labor alternative, because it received’t be capable of attain the identical work envelope as a human employee. So the query stays, what market is the Unitree G1 designed for?
With its entry-level value, nimble kinematic design, massive joint working vary, and elective options, the G1 may be a superb analysis platform for college labs. The G1 may supply a faster begin for a lab that wishes a platform for growing new embodied AI algorithms. Unitree is a NVIDIA accomplice, and the G1 EDU model will be optioned with an NVIDIA ORIN controller which delivers the computing energy for stylish mannequin improvement. The truth that Unitree additionally launched the product at ICRA, implies that R&D is the preliminary goal utility for the G1.
Because of its small dimension, G1 received’t be capable of attain a typical workbench, kitchen, or family atmosphere. Nevertheless, basis fashions developed on G1 may possible be utilized to the H1 model.