Unitree teases new H1 humanoid robot

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Unitree announced on social media today that it is developing a humanoid robot, building on its experience in quadruped robotics. Unitree teased the H1 robot in the video above.
Unitree is one of the leading developers of quadrupeds and recently launched the second generation of its Go2 quadruped. The company has developed and commercialized the necessary leg mechanics and drive systems with its quadruped product line, potentially giving it a leg up on its humanoid competitors. The company has also developed and field-tested the necessary perception and locomotion algorithms that enable a fast development path from quadrupeds to bipeds.
The H1 humanoid stands about 71 inches (1800mm) tall and weighs about 100 lbs (47kg). The robot features a high-torque joint motor and gear train developed internally at Unitree. For perception, the robot includes a 3D LiDAR sensor and a depth camera. The leg joints are 5 degrees of freedom (DOF) and the arms are 4 DOF. The initial images of the robot do not include any hands, only a cushioned nub at the end of the arm. The company is teasing that the hands are in development.
No date for an official release was announced yet. However, the video claims the robot will be commercially available in the next 3-10 years. According to Unitree, the price of the H1 is expected to be below $90,000.
From X (Twitter):


Introducing Unitree H1: Its First General-purpose Humanoid Robot| Embodied AI, Price below $90k
The preview of half-a-year achievement
The highest-power-performance robot of its counterparts with similar specifications in the world, weigh ~47Kg, maximum joint torque of 360N.m pic.twitter.com/dXSXdgst5O
— Unitree (@UnitreeRobotics) August 15, 2023


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)


The Unitree H1 robot specifications are in line with similar humanoid robots in development. | Credit: Unitree

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.