Unitree has shown a humanoid robot that plays bodyguard: it takes a knife from an intruder, lifts a car off a trapped person and yanks a pedestrian out of a car's path. The catch is that the company hasn't said who or what was in control.
The machine is the H2-X, nicknamed "Kung Fu Legend: Guardian." Unitree, which VnExpress International describes as the world's largest humanoid maker by sales, put it in a promotional video released Wednesday. The clips also show it smashing a car door.
What the video leaves out
Unitree has not clarified whether the demonstrations were autonomous, preprogrammed or remotely controlled. Nor has it shown that the robot can spot a threat on its own and respond safely in unpredictable real-world settings. That gap matters. A scripted stunt in a staged scene is a very different thing from a machine you would trust near a frightened crowd. Interesting Engineering notes the car lift and the pedestrian rescue used props, including a dummy.
This account rests mainly on VnExpress International's report of the video, which SCMP and Interesting Engineering back on the central points. We have not been able to confirm the details with Unitree or get an independent expert's view, so treat the claims as the company's own presentation. Accounts also differ on the intruder's weapon: VnExpress says knife, while Interesting Engineering says a stick.
The company also hasn't given a price or a release date. It describes the robot as built to "serve and guard you," with endurance of roughly eight hours, about three more than the standard H2 according to Interesting Engineering, which says the video's caption makes clear that figure is standing time.
What we know about the hardware
The H2-X builds on the H2, which stands 1.8 meters tall and weighs about 70 kilograms. According to the South China Morning Post, the H2 has 31 degrees of freedom and peak leg-joint torque of 360 newton-meters. Those are figures for the original H2, not confirmed specs for the H2-X.
Unitree itself warned against dangerous modifications and unauthorized uses, and told people to stay at least two to three meters away. A guard robot that comes with a distance warning is worth a second look.
Why it fits Unitree's push
The reveal arrives as the company tries to move past eye-catching demos. Founder Wang Xingxing said at the China International Industry Fair in Shanghai this month that humanoids could hit a "ChatGPT moment" within one or two years, China Daily reported. He said Unitree is testing robots in car factories and homes, but that limited efficiency and adaptability still hold back wide adoption.
In September the company introduced an AI model, UnifoLM-X2-1.0, meant to let humanoids practice combat moves such as punching, blocking and dodging on their own.
Next to watch: whether Unitree publishes unedited footage, a price, or any word on who would be allowed to buy one.
Would you want a humanoid guard near your home or workplace, and who should be allowed to own one?
Sources
- 1.World · VnExpress International – Latest news, business, travel and analysis from Vietnam
- 2.Unitree Robotics unveils a bodyguard robot capable of lifting the front of a car · South China Morning Post
- 3.Unitree's Kung Fu humanoid is pitched as your guardian · Interesting Engineering
Reported by the WattsUpNext desk from the sources linked below. Spot an error? Tell us at corrections@wattsupnext.com.
The WattsUpNext Brief
Get stories like this in your inbox.
One email each weekday, only the topics you choose. Real news, sourced, no fluff. Unsubscribe in one click.
