This humanoid robot from China can cartwheel, punch, and run, is cheaper than an EV

India Today

4 days ago

A Chinese robotics company has caught the world's attention with the launch of a humanoid robot that can run, cartwheel, throw punches, and even perform backflips. The robot, called R1, has been created by Unitree Robotics and is priced at just CNY 39,999 or $5,900, which roughly translates to about Rs 5 lakh. That's less than a budget electric vehicle like a Tata Tiago EV and far cheaper than any other humanoid robot in the same league. With athletic moves and a sleek build, the R1 is being pitched as a 'sporty' robot, capable of pulling off complex stunts like a kip-up, handstand, and martial arts-style kicks. But while its flashy promo video has earned millions of views online, it has also sparked debates about what exactly a humanoid robot should be doing.advertisementThe Unitree R1 stands 121 cm or 4 feet tall, weighs 25 kg, and is powered by 26 joints that allow for a surprising range of motion. In the video released by Unitree, the R1 is seen flipping through the air, sprinting, and mimicking combat moves with impressive balance and coordination. For a robot in this price range, those abilities are quite rare. Most humanoids with comparable mobility cost several times more. Tesla's Optimus robot, still in early development, is expected to be priced under $20,000 (roughly Rs 17.4 lakh) — but only if it's produced at scale. Meanwhile, rival bots like UBTech's Walker S and EngineAI's PM01 are priced significantly higher, making the R1 the most affordable option for a dynamic humanoid.Of course, the aforementioned humanoids — apart from Tesla's Optimus — are all China-made, which begs the question: where does this leave India in the race? While the country is still making small moves in a game that's scaling fast, there has been some development. For instance, take Reliance. It has partnered with Addverb, a robotics company, and is building an India-made humanoid for industrial use. ISRO is building a half-humanoid astronaut called Vyommitra. DRDO recently announced work on defence-use humanoid robots. And startups like Vanar Robotics are prototyping service robots out of Indian cities. That said, this is a story for another time — because right now there's a bigger question: what's the point of a robot that can do flips and kicks if it can't handle basic household chores? That's what many people online have been asking.
Here's how some netizens reacted to the viral R1 video:One user questioned the robot's abilities with household chores, stating, 'Can it vacuum? Can it run the washing machine? Can it fold clothes? Can it iron? Can it cook? As a security robot, it seems interesting, but honestly, at the moment, it's not what interests me most.'Another user shared the same sentiment, stating, 'Are the hands developed enough to make breakfast, cook, make, mow the lawn?'One user did add a valid point by pointing out folks who are missing the whole point. The user writes, 'A lot of people ask if it can cook and clean. Completely missing the point of a cheap humanoid. At this price, it's A) a toy and B) a research tool; if you want to build out the software for a robot servant, then you need plentiful hardware for testing and development.'Another user posted, 'Very dubious that this represents real-world performance, today. But something like this will be common sooner than most think.'While the R1 may not be folding laundry anytime soon, for $5,900, it's one of the first humanoids that's financially within reach for researchers, hobbyists, and maybe even early adopters looking for more than just entertainment.The company, based in Hangzhou, is also preparing to go public soon and could become the first humanoid robotics firm to be listed on China's stock exchange.- Ends