Unitree Releases Humanoid Robot for Under $6,000
Credit: Unitree
Chinese company Unitree Robotics has announced the launch of one of the most affordable humanoid robots on the market. The new R1 robot will go on sale with a starting price of 39,900 yuan (about $5,900), which is significantly lower than the cost of similar solutions.
Unitree’s promotional video says the R1 weighs 25 kilograms and has 26 joints. Its software platform is based on a multimodal language model that allows the robot to recognize voice commands and images. The R1’s four-digit price tag underscores the ambitions of a new generation of Chinese startups trying to outpace their U.S. rivals in cutting-edge technology. Unitree’s popularity soared in February after CEO Wang Xingxing was among the attendees at a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with other tech giants such as Alibaba founder Jack Ma and Tencent CEO Pony Ma.
If Unitree R1 lives up to its promises, it could become a landmark product for the entire industry. For reference, according to Morgan Stanley, the cost of the most advanced humanoids in 2024 reached $200,000.
