Unitree’s G1 Humanoid Robot Challenges Tesla’s Optimus with $16K Price Tag
Tesla recently updated its Optimus to a second-generation model. On the other hand, Unitree Robotics has recently unveiled its latest humanoid robot. Surprisingly with a significantly reduced price tag of $16,000. Sure, $16,000 doesn’t sound cheap, but with this price tag, the G1 is remarkably 90% cheaper than its predecessor, the H1, which retailed for over $150,000.
The drastic price reduction is a bold and eyebrow-raising move by Unitree, making advanced humanoid robots accessible to a much wider audience. The G1 looks like a much more complete package than the H1 before it.
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The market for humanoid robotics is still budding, to say the least. Unitree’s G1 represents a serious competitor offering a very high level of articulation.
The G1 robot was built with up to 43 joint motors for an impressive amount of limb articulation. The demo video released by Unitree showcases the G1’s extreme dexterity and versatility.
Advanced Features and Dexterity of the G1 Humanoid Robot
The G1 has a number of really cool features, but its most impressive is arguably its “hollow joint” wiring combined with 23 to 43 joint motors, which enables it to perform a wide variety of tasks with unlimited movement. It also has a helmet head and illuminated visage (packaging 3D LiDAR sensors and a depth camera).
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Instead of copying a human hand, Unitree went with three fingers for the G1, but it has enough mobility in its fingers to select and smash walnuts or aggressively open up your soda or beer and perform a range of tasks.
To our surprise, the G1 can also handle tasks that require more precision, like flipping food in a pan or soldering wires. Unitree packed all of those capabilities into a robot body that’s four feet, two inches tall. However, the G1 can run at 4.5 mph now, albeit a little awkwardly. It can also eat some kicks and punches and still remain balanced after the abuse.
Importantly, the G1’s battery life is currently limited to just 2 hours. As for the AI that powers it, unitree has only said so far that it will run off imitation and reinforcement-driven learning.
According to Unitree’s website, the G1 will be available in a base model and a more advanced version. The base model G1 will start at $16,000 plus any tax or shipping costs. Unitree could be trying to widen its product with these two models, where the G1 EDU caters to research or commercial purposes.
We can also see the base G1 models welcomed into our homes as robot butlers tasked with cracking walnuts and probably opening bottles. As Unitree Robotics continues to innovate and push the boundaries of what’s possible in the field of robotics, the future of humanoid robots in our daily lives looks increasingly promising!
However, human-like robots can also pose risks like ethical concerns, privacy issues, and dependence/control-like problems.
Optimus Vs Unitree G1
Tesla’s Optimus Gen 2 is the second generation of Tesla’s humanoid robot. It is crafted to function or work as a versatile tool that is capable of assisting humans in various domains such as manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and entertainment.
Tesla’s Optimus robot is designed basically for manufacturing and has its own automation capabilities. It showcases Tesla’s commitment to streamlining the production process.
On the contrary, Unitree Robot’s G1 humanoid robot is geared towards research as well as development and also entertainment and educational applications.
The G1 humanoid robot interacts with humans and also walks on two legs, has an upper torso, or a robot that has two arms, two legs, and a head, making it suitable for a wide range of tasks beyond industrial settings.