Key facts
- A Unitree Go2 Pro robot dog collapsed on a walk home due to apparent power loss or overheating.
- The robot dog was purchased for $4,017, significantly cheaper than comparable models from a few years ago.
- Unitree's robots are widely used for academic research and entertainment, but practical applications are limited.
- The company's founder, Wang Xingxing, aimed to make quadruped robots simpler, smaller, and more companionable.
- Unitree's Go2 Air model is over 97% cheaper than Boston Dynamics' Spot robot.
A reviewer detailed their experience with a Unitree Go2 Pro robot dog, a quadruped robot purchased for $4,017. The robot, designed by the Chinese company Unitree, garnered significant attention during a two-mile walk to the reviewer's office in Washington D.C. While capable of performing tricks and attracting curiosity from strangers and children, the robot struggled with inclines and rising temperatures on the return journey. Near the reviewer's home, the robot collapsed, displaying a red light on its 'face' and a spinning lidar sensor, indicating either a power failure or overheating. The reviewer noted that while Unitree's robots are used in academic research, practical applications are limited compared to wheeled robots or drones. However, the company's focus on affordability has made its quadrupeds, and potentially its newer humanoid robots, accessible to a wider market. Unitree recently debuted on the Shanghai stock market, with its shares experiencing a significant surge.