Unitree shows H2-X robot in staged security scenarios

Unitree Robotics released a promotional video for its humanoid robot H2-X on 21 October, showing the machine in staged security and rescue scenarios. In the video, published under the name "Kung Fu Legend Guardian," the robot blocks a knife-wielding intruder, pushes a child-sized mannequin out of the path of an oncoming car and lifts the front of a car to free a person trapped underneath, according to aitimes.com.

The footage also shows H2-X striking a car door with punches and kicks at a scrapyard and jumping down from a platform marked 4 m high, landing on both feet. Unitree says all the scenes were staged demonstrations rather than real rescue operations.

The company states the robot can operate for up to about 8 hours while standing. H2-X is based on the existing H2 humanoid platform; the official spec sheet lists H2 at 1 m 82 cm tall, about 70 kg with battery, 31 joint degrees of freedom and a maximum leg joint torque of 360 Nm.

Unanswered questions

Unitree did not disclose whether H2-X keeps the H2 specifications or what hardware was added or changed, and did not explain how much of the video's behavior relied on autonomous judgment, remote control or pre-programmed motion. Price, sales schedule and detailed technical specifications for H2-X have not been announced, and it is not disclosed whether the robot is a commercial product for security and rescue sites or a demonstration model.

At the end of the video, Unitree warns against dangerous modification and unauthorized use and recommends keeping at least 2-3 m away from the robot. The company had previously shown its robots performing martial arts and acrobatic movements.