HANGZHOU, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese robotics firm Unitree Technology's thrilling video of an agile wheel-legged robot dog has taken the internet by storm recently.
The video showcases the robot dog executing impressive stunts like pinning in place, performing side flips, and leaping from heights. It also highlights its off-road capabilities, including wading through water, climbing slippery rocks, and carrying an adult up steep slopes. It caught Elon Musk's attention who reposted it on social media platform X.
The robotic dog B2-W is capable of jumping over obstacles and descending steep cliffs with ease, as shown in the clip released by the Hangzhou-based startup.
The B2-W can carry up to 40 kilograms and travel 50 kilometers on a single charge, with a top speed of 20 kilometers per hour. Currently, in mass production, the B2-W is already being deployed in sectors like power inspection and fire rescue, according to Jin Da, a market manager at Unitree Technology.
In October, a scene featuring Unitree's robotic dogs went viral. Despite their slender limbs, the robots effortlessly carried nearly 40 kilograms as they were seen climbing and descending the steps of Mount Tai.
These robotic dogs were undergoing weight-bearing climbing tests as part of a mission to relieve human porters from the long-standing challenge of garbage removal at the UNESCO World Heritage Site in east China's Shandong Province.
In 2023, Mount Tai saw a record 8.62 million visitors, generating 24,000 tonnes of waste. Unitree's robots are set to make the process faster and more efficient, revolutionizing waste management at this renowned location.
Another Hangzhou-based robotics firm DEEP Robotics recently showcased the remarkable capabilities of its robotic dog. The impressive quadruped, named "Lynx," was seen scaling vertical heights of 80 centimeters and climbing slopes of up to 45 degrees, all while skillfully navigating confined and complex environments.
DEEP Robotics has delivered a tailored four-legged robot, named SPock, for power tunnel inspections to Singapore's SP Group. Equipped with video and thermal cameras, SPock is capable of autonomously navigating tunnels, detecting defects, and logging real-time reports of its findings.
The expanded use of SPock is expected to save 480 man-hours annually on tunnel inspections, according to the SP Group.
"Robotic dogs outperform humanoid robots in terms of load capacity, stability and adaptability, enabling them to operate effectively across diverse and challenging landscapes," Jin said.
The quadruped robot sector is still in its nascent commercial phase, but driven by the promising market potential, an increasing number of Chinese innovators are entering the field.
Research from GGII, a Shenzhen-based consultancy specializing in emerging industries, shows that the global quadruped robot market is projected to surpass 560,000 units by 2030, with its market value potentially exceeding 8 billion yuan (about 1.1 billion U.S. dollars). ■
