Since 2023, with the increasing buzz around the humanoid robot industry, leading companies in the domestic quadruped robot field have successively announced their entry into this new sector. Can robotic dog companies discover a new path in the bipedal robot business?
Unitree
Unitree was founded in August 2016 by Wang Xingxing, who began modifying disc brushless motors used in drones during his master’s studies in 2013, while also developing small-sized motor drivers. Based on these achievements, he independently designed and developed the first product — the XDog. This robot adopts high-performance all-electric drive technology, pioneering a low-cost, high-performance legged robot solution globally.
Unitree’s product lineup currently includes two series: quadruped robots and general-purpose humanoid robots. Quadruped robots were the company’s primary focus in its early years, with Go2, B2, and Aliengo models. In the global high-performance quadruped robot market, Unitree has achieved several key milestones: it was the first to propose relevant technical solutions, the first to commercialize them, and has maintained a leading global shipment volume for many years, with over 60% market share.
General-purpose humanoid robots represent Unitree’s new business direction starting in 2023, with two humanoid robot products, H1 and G1. Unitree claims that the H1 is the first full-sized general-purpose humanoid robot capable of running in China and boasts the highest power performance among similar specifications globally. Recently, Unitree officially launched the mass-production version of the G1, priced at 99,000 RMB. It offers stronger performance, a more optimized appearance, and, most importantly, the capability for large-scale production.
DEEP Robotics
Founded in 2017, DEEP Robotics is a developer of intelligent robotic products, specializing in the development and market promotion of legged robots. The founding team hails from Zhejiang University and has over 10 years of experience in legged robot research and development.
The company’s independently developed “Jueying” series of quadruped robots have been deployed in various application environments such as security inspection, exploration, and public rescue operations, and were among the first to participate in earthquake disaster relief drills. Currently, DEEP Robotics has established long-term and in-depth cooperation with industry giants such as State Grid, China Southern Power Grid, Baosteel, and Fluke.
In the humanoid robot sector, DEEP Robotics launched the J80 and J100 robot joints in 2024, which feature ultra-high torque, industry-grade applications, and high protection standards, providing core power for humanoid robots.
At the 2024 World Robot Conference, DEEP Robotics showcased its general-purpose humanoid robot, Dr.01. It is equipped with DEEP Robotics’ self-developed lightweight J60 joints and high-powered J100 joints, offering highly flexible movement capabilities. Utilizing reinforcement learning intelligent algorithms, Dr.01 can quickly regain balance and maintain stable walking under unknown disturbances such as road surface slippage and external pushing forces.
LimX Dynamics
Founded in 2022, LimX Dynamics offers a range of products including full-sized humanoid robots, four-wheeled legged robots, and biped robots, which have been applied in smart manufacturing, industrial inspection, logistics delivery, and home services.
In September 2023, LimX Dynamics officially launched its first fully self-developed four-wheeled legged robot, the W1. This robot, developed using the Motion Intelligence system, features a unique design that allows it to easily traverse various terrains. The wheels on its four sturdy legs enable it to move steadily and efficiently across different surfaces.
In December 2023, LimX Dynamics showcased its self-developed humanoid robot “CL-1” for the first time, which underwent iterative upgrades in April 2024. At the 2024 World Robot Conference, LimX Dynamics unveiled its newest full-sized humanoid robot, CL-2. The CL-2 represents the company’s latest generation of full-sized humanoid robots, featuring increased degrees of freedom in the waist, arms, and legs, marking a significant technical upgrade in full-body motion control.
Xiaomi
Xiaomi has been involved in the robotics industry since 2015, having invested in companies like Segway-Ninebot, Roborock Technology, and FAO Yiwei Robot System early on. In addition to its investments, Xiaomi has also developed its own embodied intelligence business.
In August 2021, Xiaomi released its first-generation bionic quadruped robot, the CyberDog, nicknamed “Iron Egg,” with a price of 9,999 yuan. The following month, the Xiaomi Robotics Lab was established. In August 2022, Xiaomi launched its full-sized humanoid bionic robot, CyberOne. Standing 177 cm tall and weighing 52 kg, CyberOne, nicknamed “Iron Giant,” is equipped with advanced technology capable of perceiving 45 types of human emotions and recognizing 85 types of environmental semantics. It is powered by Xiaomi’s in-house developed full-body control algorithm, which coordinates the movement of 21 joints, and its Mi Sense visual system enables 3D reconstruction of the real world. The robot features 5 types of joint drives with a peak torque of 300 Nm.
In April 2023, Xiaomi Robotics Technology Co., Ltd. was established in Beijing, focusing on intelligent robot development and AI industry applications. In August 2023, Xiaomi released the second-generation bionic quadruped robot, CyberDog2, priced at 12,999 yuan. Compared to the previous generation, CyberDog2 is 16% smaller in size and 40% lighter. Its head, legs, and body proportions are inspired by the Doberman, with 9 detachable shells that can be replaced using 3D printing technology.
Yobotics
Shandong Youbaote Intelligent Robot Co., Ltd. was established in 2014, with its core team originating from the Robotics Center of Shandong University and the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is a technology company specializing in the development of legged robots and related products.
Yobotics has developed various bionic-legged robots, including bipedal, quadrupedal, and hexapod models. The company has also launched a series of high-power density integrated joint motors and hydraulic robotic arms. In 2015, they released their first quadruped bionic robot for research and education purposes, and in 2017, they sold their first batch of quadruped robots. These robots are now applied across various sectors, including universities, the power grid, agriculture, and factories.
Earlier this year, Yobotics launched its humanoid robot “Walker Taishan,” a full-sized, highly dynamic humanoid robot standing 170 cm tall and weighing 43 kg. It has a top speed of 2 m/s and features 19 degrees of freedom across its body. This is said to be the first humanoid robot developed in Shandong Province, and it took Yobotics only two months from project inception to having the robot walking on its own.
XPeng
XPeng Motors’ strategy for expanding into the robotics business is similar to that of Xiaomi, starting with quadruped robots and gradually moving into the humanoid robot field. In December 2020, XPeng Motors acquired Dogotix, a company specializing in quadruped robots, and established Pengxing Intelligent, officially entering the robotics market. The company also brought in IDG Capital as an investor. By September 2023, XPeng Motors completed a full acquisition of Pengxing Intelligent and integrated its team into XPeng’s newly formed robotics division.
On October 24, 2023, during XPeng’s “1024 Tech Day,” the company unveiled its bipedal humanoid robot, the PX5. This robot not only can adapt to various complex terrains but also performs challenging actions such as playing soccer and riding a balanced bike.
Recently, as XPeng Motors celebrated its tenth anniversary, the company announced that in the next decade, it aims to become a globally focused AI automotive company. Key development areas will include AI robots, flying cars, AI automobiles, AI chips, and large AI models. XPeng also revealed that the second-generation humanoid robot would be showcased to the public on October 24 this year.
Ulan Technology
Ulan Technology was established in 2019 and is headquartered in Nanjing. It is an innovative company focused on creating general-purpose robots for households and businesses. Its flagship quadruped robot, Alpha Dog, garnered over 10,000 orders in March 2021 when the C5 series was first commercially launched.
In 2023, the company released its sixth-generation product, BabyAlpha, which is currently the only quadruped AI robot designed for household scenarios globally. The BabyAlpha series focuses on family life, offering functions such as companionship, pet entertainment, educational assistance, security monitoring, and smart home management.
Ulan Technology is now actively entering the humanoid robot market. On September 26, Ulan Technology launched its first humanoid robot.
Dreame Technology
Founded in 2017, Dreame Technology has a product line that makes it more akin to a “smart home appliance” company. The company has successively launched four major product categories: cordless vacuum cleaners, robot vacuums, smart floor cleaners, and high-speed hair dryers.
In October 2021, Dreame Technology introduced its first bionic quadruped robot dog, Eame One, marking its formal entry into the broader robotics field. The Eame One can perform challenging actions such as climbing, ascending stairs, and overcoming obstacles, while accurately identifying and adapting to different terrains and complex environments.
In 2023, Dreame Technology released the second generation of the Eame One quadruped robot and a general-purpose humanoid robot. This humanoid robot stands 178 cm tall, weighs 56 kg, and has 44 degrees of freedom across its body, with each leg featuring a complete 6 degrees of freedom, allowing it to stand on one leg.
Boston Dynamics
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, Boston Dynamics is an American engineering and robotics design company. It was spun off from MIT and early on collaborated with the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on robotics research.
Boston Dynamics has developed a series of quadruped robots, including BigDog, Atlas, and Cheetah. Since 2019, Spot has been commercialized, becoming Boston Dynamics’ first robot to enter the commercial market.
In July 2013, Boston Dynamics publicly showcased a bipedal robot for the first time. It stood 1.88 meters tall and weighed 330 pounds (about 149 kg). Initially, the robot was called PETMAN but was later renamed Atlas. For many years, Boston Dynamics has been working on the commercialization of Atlas, and after its acquisition by Hyundai in 2021, the commercialization trend of its robots accelerated further.
In 2024, Boston Dynamics announced the discontinuation of the hydraulic version of Atlas and soon launched an electric version. The company claims that the new version of Atlas will be more powerful than before, and they are confident in commercializing this new humanoid robot.
Conclusion
In the field of humanoid robots, manufacturers of quadruped robots possess significant competitive advantages due to their expertise in mobility, control systems, and intelligent algorithms. However, a successful transition to humanoid robots is not achieved overnight. The design and functionality of humanoid robots are more complex, and integrating high flexibility and adaptability while ensuring efficient functionality is a critical challenge. Only through continuous technological innovation and practical exploration can these companies break through current bottlenecks and truly open up new horizons for humanoid robot applications.
