Unitree As2-W | When AI Grows Legs. And Legs Grow Wheels
Unitree Robotics, the coolest kid in the AI robotics block, has yet again taken the world by storm with its newly launched robot, As2-W aka, Super Athlete. Combining excellent locomotive capabilities with feline agility As2-W’s obstacle-overcoming abilities in rugged terrains are a new milestone not only in Unitree’s model lineup, but in the entire AI Robotics industry.
Unitree As2-W : The Rugged Rider
Capable of climbing and descending terrains with an inclination of 45 degrees, this sturdy wheeled-quadruped robot is faster than any other climber-operators in real-world terrains.
Laced with a high performance ARM processor, enhanced sensors, world-class motion detectors, and upgraded AI systems, the robot is not only capable of judging the depth and contours of the terrain, but also anticipating what can turn up in the next bend of the road. In all, it is a significant upgrade from its predecessor As2- W EDU.
What makes it all the more popular is not only the upgraded technology and high-tech capabilities that it has, but also the cost-effectiveness with which Unitree has been bringing out its product line. Case in point: the robot dogs brought out by Unitree and Boston Dynamics bring out this price difference. While Spot, the robodog by Boston Dynamics costs upwards of US$75000 apiece, Unitree’s equally capable Go2 robodog can be purchased on a US$ 2500 budget – that’s under 4 % of the Boston Dynamics price.
Laced with a high performance ARM processor, enhanced sensors, world-class motion detectors, and upgraded AI systems, the robot is not only capable of judging the depth and contours of the terrain, but also anticipating what can turn up in the next bend of the road. In all, it is a significant upgrade from its predecessor As2- W EDU.
What makes it all the more popular is not only the upgraded technology and high-tech capabilities that it has, but also the cost-effectiveness with which Unitree has been bringing out its product line. Case in point: the robot dogs brought out by Unitree and Boston Dynamics bring out this price difference. While Spot, the robodog by Boston Dynamics costs upwards of US$75000 apiece, Unitree’s equally capable Go2 robodog can be purchased on a US$ 2500 budget – that’s under 4 % of the Boston Dynamics price.
4%.
Let that sink in.
Unitree As2-W: SPEC cHECK
Coming back to the As2 W- with a total weight of 25 kg (including battery weight), this robot is capable of carrying a high payload of 150 kg static weight and a continuous walking payload of approximately 16 kgs. The As2 W attains a maximum speed of 6 meter/sec and its peak joint torque of approximately 95 N.M gives it the flexibility that it requires to effortlessly transport this weight at a 9m/s speed range.
The As2 WX has an obstacle-clearing capability of 80 cm steps and 45-degree slopes along with a long endurance of 33 kilometer (unloaded) and16 kilometer (loaded), with a battery life of about 3 hours. The vision of As2WX is aided by a high definition front camera and an AI-enabled companion module that enables it to switch between remote controlled instruction mode and automated AI modes. Also, the ultra-wide angle LiDAR, upgradable to industrial grade 64~128-line LiDAR gives it a wide range field of vision.
The As2 WX has an obstacle-clearing capability of 80 cm steps and 45-degree slopes along with a long endurance of 33 kilometer (unloaded) and16 kilometer (loaded), with a battery life of about 3 hours. The vision of As2WX is aided by a high definition front camera and an AI-enabled companion module that enables it to switch between remote controlled instruction mode and automated AI modes. Also, the ultra-wide angle LiDAR, upgradable to industrial grade 64~128-line LiDAR gives it a wide range field of vision.
What makes this robot incredibly smooth is the precision with which it carries out its tasks, as demonstrated by its capabilities of traversing rugged terrains and semi aquatic settings- which is helped by its industrial-grade IP54 dust and water resistance that can withstand dust, rain and semi-amphibious settings
UNITREE: THE PIONEER
Unitree was one of the first AI Robotics companies to add wheeled capabilities to its robot locomotion architecture. And this revolutionary step allowed it to create a lineup of robots that shook the entire AI robotics market and gave giants like Boston Dynamics a run for its money. With As2 -W, we see Unitree still doing what it does best – combining endurance and raw power with agility. And with its latest model, we witness Unitree both literally and figuratively scale heights that no robotics company has scaled so far, especially when it comes to AI locomotion capabilities.
UNITREE: THE REEL STOPPER
With its viral products Unitree keeps on surprising us every year with its capabilities.
February of this year saw Unitree robots gain global virality when its humanoid took centre stage in Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, doing backflips and martial arts demonstrations. Viral humanoid-children dance choreography grabbed global eyeballs and showed what magic could be made by robotics – human cooperation and coordination
Unitree As2-W is a testament to Unitree’s dominance in the AI robotics world and is another arrow in the Unitree quiver that has given sleepless nights to giants like Boston Dynamics and Tesla. With As2 W, the company has set the bar even higher for other players in the AI-Robotics sector to attempt to reach- and possibly raise higher.
