Unitree Robotics in China is making a mark just like Boston Dynamics which is known for making futuristic quadrupedal robots. Both the players have been in the industry for years.
Unitree released their latest product recently. It’s Unitree Go1, a powerful four-legged robot. The pricing is also attractive. The robots are available at a starting price of $2,700. It’s cheap in comparison with similar products offered by other players in the segment. The Spot Robot by Boston Dynamics costs $74,500! In the demo video, Go 1 is shown following a person with a bottle of water strapped to its body.
The robotics industry is still conducting researches on the best applications of these types of machines. Spot conducts tests in areas such as industrial inspection and police intelligence. Unitree, on the other hand, is trying to popularise quadrupedal robots like smartphones and drones at affordable prices. In that sense, the Go1 demo video is really promising.
Go1 comes in three versions. Though all models can perform tasks like person-following and obstacle-avoidance, only the expensive ones can reach a top speed of up to 17 km/hour as advertised. The company has not yet disclosed details of the battery. Given that Spot can store charge only for 90 minutes of operation, it seems the “all-day companion” mode claimed in Go1 demo video is a bit exaggerated.
Whatever be the case, quadrupedal robots are rapidly shifting from the category of rare objects to that of commodities. Startups in this segment are also growing rapidly.
