The race for humanoids started many years ago, but it was only in the last five years, and faster than Moore's law could detect, that temperature has risen. More AI capacity, an industry collective development of skills in terms of designing custom actuators and energy optimizations for prolonged movements of the limbs. All factors have contributed to strides in the development of robotics that we had never seen before in robotics. And in particular about humanoids.

If you have a question floating in your about why companies are building robots in the shapes of humans, the answer is a lot simpler than you may think. With the industrial revolution, we started shaping the technological world that we so much depend on today, based on our needs. That means a factory expects humans to walk from a shelf to a machine. A matron expects the knobs for the washing machine to be in a certain position and have a form factor that works for human fingers. And so on.

You know the phrase: crawl first, walk after? Me neither, but it sounds like it should exist just in that format 😅

Unitree, which we have covered before, has been doing just that. While Boston Dynamics, with their Spot, set a price tag of U$70K just to knock on the door, that is 70k without essential pieces needed in order to make the device do half of what they show on promo videos, Unitree delivered to everyone capable of swiping a credit card a series of quadrupeds at incredibly affordable prices. $3K if you are on a budget and $12K if you want to go terminator on your project. And those "dogs" can do a lot of what Spot does.

Reportedly China Aims to Mass-Produce Humanoid Robots by 2027. In a bold move that could reshape global industries and daily life, China has set its sights on becoming a leader in humanoid robot development.

According to a recent guideline published by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), China envisions humanoid robots as the next disruptive technology, akin to computers or smartphones, with the potential to transform manufacturing, healthcare, education, and even home life.

The country aims to establish a robust innovation system, make breakthroughs in key technologies like artificial intelligence, motion control, and sensor fusion, and secure a reliable supply of core components—all with the goal of achieving mass production of humanoid robots by 2027.

By 2027, China envisions these human-like machines becoming a significant engine of economic growth, driving innovation and productivity across multiple sectors.

While the prospect of humanoid robots seamlessly integrating into our lives may seem futuristic, the implications are tangible. Imagine healthcare professionals aided by robotic assistants capable of performing delicate surgeries or providing personalized care to the elderly.

Picture teachers augmented by robotic tutors that adapt to individual student needs. And visualize homes where humanoid robots handle chores, assist with daily tasks, and even provide companionship.

To put everything in perspective, we have moved from this (below) fun display of humanoid gimmicks...

works like a charm!

...TO THIS

in less than five years! Hold on a second; I need a moment...

The specifications of Unitree H1 are incredibly good, but perhaps what is the most impressive. When compared to the most difficult task in robotics, balance, is how incredibly reactive and stable the center of mass is kept while testing engineers are torturing the poor creature. In this shot below, the engineer is kicking hard to destabilize the humanoid, yet the bot stays in place.

And while kicking robots is a common practice to display the stability of companies stability prowness, it is the first time that we have seen, the same algorithm perform as good while grabbing the bot by the arm.

H1, at this time, doesn't sport functional hands; however, the company told us that they are currently working on developing a phalange system; our prediction is that we might see their appearance by Q3, given how complex the structure of hands can be, particularly when it comes to adapting the grip pressure.

As the price goes, nothing is fully confirmed; we expect to hear something more reliable from the company at the CES. An unverified, although plausible, hint might come from this Ali Express Page. If the page is going to be taken down, we can tell you the most relevant (trustable?) information about that page, the price: $179.000. That price might be a fluke, but there's a sense in the community that at this time, the early batches of humanoids will be in that range. That is before the manufacturing is done at scale and perhaps by the bots!!

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Now more than ever, Escher's famous artwork is representative of what a farm bot could look like. And if you think it's too far-fetched, think again because Digit is doing just that now in Oregon!

The future is bright, and I, for one, can't wait to sip in a future where a humanoid takes on chores and assistive tasks that would leave room for a more qualitative time between humans.

And if you want to sip something too, well, you are in luck; we just opened our pop-up store with cool CLOUD.IA merch, and I happen to have just the right mug for the job.

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