Unitree Robotics has announced that their bipedal humanoid robot, the H1, has set a new speed record by moving at a velocity of 3.3 meters per second (11.9 km/h).
The H1 Robot by Unitree Robotics represents the continuous advancement of flexible humanoid platforms with a wide range of capabilities. First launched in December of last year, the H1 is Unitree Robotics’ first humanoid robot model. Previously, the company was known for its quadrupedal robotic dogs. In its initial version, the H2 stands 1.805 meters tall, weighs approximately 47 kg, and can carry up to 30 kg of cargo. Each leg can rotate freely 5 degrees thanks to joints at the hip, knee, and ankle. The shoulder and elbow joints allow each arm to rotate freely a total of 4 degrees, according to New Atlas.
The robot captures its surroundings in 360 degrees using the Intel RealSense D435i depth camera located on its head and the Livox MID360 LiDAR module (ground-penetrating radar). Data from these devices are analyzed in real-time by a Dual Intel Core i7-1265U processor. Additionally, the robot can maintain balance and walk continuously, even when kicked.
In a video shared by Unitree Robotics on March 1, the latest version of the H1, Evolution V3.0, can do even more. It can walk quickly on flat surfaces at a speed of 3.3 m/s. According to the manufacturing company, this sets a new world record for a full-sized humanoid robot. In comparison, Agility Robotics’ bipedal robot Cassie set a sprinting record in 2022 by covering 100 meters in 24.73 seconds, with an average speed of 4 m/s (14.4 km/h). However, Cassie essentially consists of just a pair of legs and a head, not a fully-fledged humanoid robot. Tesla’s full-sized humanoid robot, Optimus, only achieves a speed of 0.6 m/s.
The H1 robot can climb stairs and jump high like a human.
In addition to walking quickly, H1 Evolution V3.0 can also jump (coordinated body movement), climb stairs, and jump high like a human.
The first two versions, Unitree H1 V1.0 and V2.0, demonstrated basic movement and balance skills. Its advanced joint design utilizes the M107 actuator, providing a maximum torque of 360 Nm, maximizing power output. Even in its initial version, the H1 exhibited agility even when disturbed, responding smoothly to maintain balance.
However, the latest H1 V3.0 version represents a significant leap in the world of robotics. Not only does it break the Guinness World Record for the fastest full-sized humanoid robot, but it also performs a series of coordinated jumping actions and fluid movements of the arms, legs, and torso. This showcases the robot’s abilities beyond walking, as it can now simulate complex human movements through full-body coordination. The fact that the robot can jump as high as a nearby human despite its heavy actuator highlights the strength provided by the V3.0’s frame through effective technical arrangement.
While the current capabilities of the H1 robot are indeed revolutionary, Unitree Robotics believes this is just the beginning. They have developed a robotic AI framework called “Robot AI World Model” that can perform many more intelligent behaviors. Furthermore, features such as online self-learning, full-body flexible control, advanced computer vision, and path planning algorithms are also being integrated into the H1.
