Humanoid robots are the new and is no longer the science fiction, but a growing fact of life. Although most are still in the laboratory or in a handful of factories, their skills are more human per minute. These robots walk, run, attend, talk thanks to AI, they pass the time, they dance and suffer unfortunate levels of abuse.
One of the most notable humanoid bots is Unitree G1, a “AI Avatar Humanoid Agent” the size of a pint with dozens of unions and motors. I have seen the G1 in person in CES, and it is an impressive feat of engineering. Despite its mobility and skill, G1’s capabilities are largely a remote control product and canned or preprogrammed movements.
Even so, the Unitree G1 of $ 16,000 (to start) can keep the balance and precision against unforeseen obstacles. Unitree recently demonstrated this ability in a new video that shows not only the notable dance skills of Unitree G1, but also its perseverance against adversity. Unitree points out that the skills demonstrated in the video are new and have not yet been implemented for all customers.
Attend
Seeing the short video, it is difficult not to feel for the G1 while a developer pushes, pushes and hits the robot with a stick. At a remarkable moment, the robot raises its hands and seems to block a blow. Naturally, I silently encouraged the robot efforts. But I think I can be celebrating the wrong.
This is not a video about a poor and helpless robot that tries to protect. Unitree G1, even with its integrated AI, has no feelings. Literally you can’t even feel the blows. It is not upset that someone is hitting it. Instead, the robot program is to dance and stay vertically.
The impressive thing here is that nothing, not even these blows, stops Unitree G1; Simply continue in Bopping.
Resistant robots are a crucial part of the development timeline of humanoid robotics. Such bots will be of little use for us if, when we accidentally run into them, they fall and then trapped on their backs, stirring their arms and legs like beetles in the style of Kafka.
As many times as a grimace when I see someone “abuse” a robot, I have to remind myself that this is the way. There cannot be a revolution of the robot without such “sacrifice.”
A dance robot is fun. A robot that can be maintained vertically against an attack is a change of play.
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