Robots gain agility

An ASAP-trained humanoid robot can now replicate signature moves from sports legends, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s “Siu” celebration with a mid-air spin, LeBron James’s “Silencer” with precise single-leg balancing, and Kobe Bryant’s fadeaway jump shot. Beyond sports moves, it can also perform forward and side jumps exceeding one meter.

While the robot may still appear clumsy due to hardware limitations and fewer articulations than a human, it demonstrates significantly improved dexterity compared to previous humanoid robots. The advancement is largely due to the “delta action model,” which compensates for differences between simulated and real-world physics. By integrating this correction mechanism, researchers reduced tracking errors by up to 52.7 percent, allowing the robot to execute complex whole-body motions previously unattainable.

In other side, Unitree has the new evolving technologies, which are creating waves in the robotics sector. According to Hong Kong 01, after the viral performance of robots dancing to the tune of Niu Yang Ge at the Spring Festival Gala, the demand for humanoid robots surged, leading to supply shortages, with some units being sold out. The daily rental for these robots skyrocketed to as high as 15,000 RMB, while second-hand prices were inflated to 120,000 RMB. A sales manager from Unitree Technologies shared that humanoid robots are not yet ideal for purchase for dance performances, as their movements remain limited—mostly walking and waving. To perform a complete dance routine, a company would need a significant team to develop the necessary adaptations, which is an expensive process. “For personal buyers, right now, these robots are more like display props,” he explained. He also warned that the industry is currently overheated and urged people to ‘calm down,’ mentioning that the price of quadruped robots might eventually drop to 3,000 to 4,000 RMB, bringing them closer to the consumer market. However, an insider has suggested that this price estimate may not be entirely accurate, and there’s no official comment from Unitree regarding any price cuts. Meanwhile, a video recently posted by Wang Xingxing, showing Unitree’s G1 robot dancing with fluid and natural motions, caught the attention of many online. To prove the authenticity of the video and that the actions were not AI-generated, staff threw a soccer ball at the robot and used a stick to interfere with it.

Wang Xingxing also responded to comments, confirming that the new functionality showcased in the video had only been recently developed and had yet to be pushed to clients. Different models and versions of the robot have varying capabilities, he added.”