Humanoid Robot
Platforms

The concept of humanoid automatons emerged in the 4th century BCE in Greek mythology (Hephaestus' inventions) and Chinese philosophical texts (Liezi). In the 13th century, Al-Jazari's water-powered mechanical servants and Leonardo da Vinci's 15th-century pulley-operated armored robot laid the foundation for modern robotics.

Today, pioneering companies like Unitree are turning this historical vision into reality by replacing ancient mechanical gears with AI chips capable of trillions of operations per second (TOPS) and LiDAR-based environmental perception systems.

A humanoid robot's understanding of the world relies on two main sensor groups: Proprioceptive (Internal) and Exteroceptive (External) sensors. IMUs (Accelerometers and Gyroscopes), working much like the human inner ear, maintain the robot's balance.

To perceive the outside world, systems like the Unitree G1 use LIVOX 3D LiDAR and Intel RealSense depth cameras (Computer Vision). These systems map stairs, obstacles, and objects to be manipulated with millimeter precision.

Early humanoid robots (such as older Atlas models) used hydraulic systems to generate massive power. However, the maintenance difficulty, weight, and leak risks of hydraulic systems pushed the industry in a new direction.

Today, Unitree uses industry-defining electric Brushless PMSM (Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor) technology. This allows a robot like the H2 to achieve a massive 360 N·m of joint torque entirely electrically, silently, and with zero leak risk.

Bipedal walking is one of the most complex problems in robotics. To remain balanced, humanoid robots constantly perform 'Zero Moment Point' (ZMP) calculations.

When carrying a load or colliding with an object, 'Whole-Body Control' algorithms step in to prevent falling. These algorithms simultaneously coordinate the robot's arms, torso, and legs to absorb energy and prevent a fall.