Overview

The Unitree G1 is the humanoid robot that has put the entire industry under price pressure. The basic version from Chinese manufacturer Unitree Robotics starts at around 13,500 US dollars, a fraction of previous humanoid prices. This made the G1 the most cited entry-level model in research and education.

Construction

At approximately 132 cm in height and around 35 kg, the G1 remains deliberately compact and manageable. Its joints cover an unusually large range of motion, with the hip joint rotating further than in humans. When folded together, it shrinks to about 69 cm, which simplifies transport and storage.

Technology and AI

The standard version comes with 23 degrees of freedom, the EDU variant up to 43 depending on configuration. Only the optional force-controlled three-fingered hands make it a true manipulator. Perception is provided by a depth camera and 3D LiDAR, with computing on an eight-core processor, optionally with Nvidia Orin module for EDU. Unitree relies heavily on imitation and reinforcement learning, meaning the robot learns movements through practice rather than being rigidly programmed.

Market Significance

The open, affordable platform has resulted in the G1 appearing in countless research videos and initial commercial tests. The sister model H1 also holds the speed world record for running humanoids.