Overview

The Go2 from Unitree Robotics in Hangzhou was unveiled in July 2023 and is the best-selling quadruped robot in the world. It gained public attention, among other things, at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, where it retrieved discus and javelin from the throwing sector. It is available in the versions Air, Pro, X and EDU.

Design

When standing, the robot measures 70 by 31 by 40 centimeters; when lying down, it flattens to 20 centimeters. With battery, it weighs approximately fifteen kilograms. Twelve joint motors with a peak torque of about 45 Newton-meters drive it; the knee joints are cooled with heat pipes. Unitree lists aluminum alloy and high-strength engineering plastic as materials. The Air variant has a retractable carry handle.

Technology and AI

Standard equipment includes the proprietary 4D Lidar L2 at the front of the head, which scans 360 by 96 degrees and measures from as little as five centimeters away. There is also an HD wide-angle camera and a front light. From the Pro version onwards, an eight-core CPU is used; the EDU version can be equipped with an NVIDIA Orin with 40 to 100 TOPS and additionally includes foot pressure sensors and a depth camera. The standard battery holds 8000 milliamp-hours and lasts one to two hours; the EDU variant with 15,000 milliamp-hours provides two to four hours.

Market Significance

The entry price of 1600 US dollars for the Air version has transformed the category. What previously required a research budget is now accessible to schools, small labs and private individuals. That is precisely the significance of the Go2: it created the mass market for legged robots in the first place.