Who wins the race to develop a humanoid robot?

This is a bright spring morning in Hanover, Germany, and I am on the way to meeting the robot.

I was invited to see G1, a humanoid robot built by a Chinese firm, Untree, at Hannover Messe, one of the world’s largest industrial exhibitions.

Standing around 4’3 “(130 cm), G1 is smaller and available than other humanoid robots on the market, and has such high liquid movements and agility that the video is performed by dance numbers and Martial arts became viral.

Today, G1 is remotely controlled by Pedro Zheng, Unitree Sales Manager.

He explains that customers must program each G1 for autonomous features.

Passers-by at stops and are actively trying to interact with G1, which cannot be said that many other machines are shown in the cavernous conference room.

They keep shaking their hand, make sudden movements to find out if they respond, they laugh when G1 waves or bends back, they apologize when they come across it. In her human form there is something that, as it is, creates people quietly.

Unitree is just one of dozens of companies worldwide that are developed by human form.

The potential is huge – for the business it promises a labor that does not need rest and increase payment.

It can also be the final household appliance. After all, who would not want a car that could make a linen and fold the dishwasher.

But the technology is still some kind. While robotics and mobile robots have been distributed at plants and warehouses for decades, the conditions at these jobs can be controlled and workers may be safe.

The introduction of a humanoid robot with a less predictable environment like a restaurant or a home is a much more complicated problem.

To be useful humanoid robots, they had to be strong, but it also makes them potentially dangerous – just falling at the time can be dangerous.

It is necessary to carry out so much work on artificial intelligence that would control such a car.

“AI just has not yet reached a breakthrough,” says Untree BBC Press.

“Today’s robot finds the main logic and reasoning – for example, to understand and perform complex tasks logically, it is a problem,” they said.

At the moment, their G1 is sold in research institutions and technology companies that can use open source software for development.

As long as entrepreneurs focus their efforts on humanoid robots for warehouses and factories.

The highest profile of them is Elon Musk. Its Automobile company Tesla develops a humanoid robot called Optimus. In January he said This “several thousand” will be built this year, and it expects they will do “useful things” at Tesla factories.

Other cars go down the same way. Bmw Recently presented humanoid robots to the American plant. Meanwhile, South Korean Automobile firm Hyundai ordered tens of thousands Robots with Boston Dynamics, robot -firm, which it acquired in 2021.

Thomas Anderson, the founder of the STIQ research firm, tracks 49 companies that develop humanoid robots – those who have two hands and legs. If you are expanding the definition of a robot with two hands, but pushes yourself to the wheels, then it looks at more than 100 firms.

Mr. Anderson believes that Chinese companies can dominate the market.

“The supply network and all the ecosystem for robotics in China are huge, and it is very easy to develop and R&D (research and development),” he says.

Unitree emphasizes this preference – its G1 cheap (for a robot) with a advertised $ 16,000 (12,500 pounds).

In addition, Mr. Anderson emphasizes, investments contribute to Asian countries.

In a recent report of the Stiq Notes In Asia, almost 60% of all the funding for humanoid robots were raised, and the United States attracts most of the rest.

Chinese companies are of additional benefit from national and local self -government support.

For example, Shanghai has Supported by the state educational facility For robots where dozens of humanoid robots learn to perform tasks.

So, how do we and European robots compete with this?

Brest Pierce based on Bristol founded three robotics companies, and the latter, Kiniya just launched the KR1 robot.

While the robot has been developed and developed in the UK, it will be manufactured in Asia.

“The problem you get as a European or American company you have to buy in China all these subcomppenters in China.

“So, then it becomes stupid to buy your engines, buy batteries, buy resistors, move them halfway to collect if you could just collect them in the source in Asia.”

In addition, to make your robots in Asia, Mr Pierce reduces costs without going to the full form of humanoid.

Designed for warehouses and factories, KR1 has no feet.

“All these places have flat floors. Why would you like extra costs on a very difficult form … If you could just put it on a mobile base?” he asks.

Where it is possible, its KR1 is built with mass components – the wheels are the same as on the electric scooter.

“My philosophy is to buy as many things you can from the shelf. So all our engines, batteries, computers, cameras are all available on sale, mass details,” he says.

Like his competitors at Unitree, Mr Pierce says a real “secret sauce” is a software that allows the robot to work with people.

“A lot of companies are leaving very high -tech robots, but then you start needing a robotics candidate to actually install and use it.

“What we are trying to develop is a very easy -to -use robot where your average or factory worker can actually learn how to use it in a couple of hours,” says Mr. Pierce.

He says that KR1 can complete the task after spending her human 20 or 30 times.

KR1 will be provided by pilot customers to check this year.

So will the robots be if you escape from the factories to the house? Even the optimistic g -s Pierce says it’s a long way.

“My long -term dream in the last 20 years is the creation of” all I have done, I was engaged in the Doctor of Sciences, I think this is the ultimate goal, but this is a very difficult task, “says Mr. Pierce.

“I still think they will eventually be there, but I think it’s at least 10 to 15 years old.”