A new video from the Chinese robotics company UBTECH, which shows their humanoid robot Walker S2 changing its own battery on its own, has generated both excitement and worry. The 95-pound bipedal machine moves towards a rack of battery packs, flips its arms in a very non-human way, and takes one of its two batteries off its back and replaces it with a new one in a fluid but unsettling sequence. After that, it just leaves, refreshed and prepared to carry on with its work.
Autonomous battery replacement is a first for humanoid robotics, according to UBTECH. It removes energy downtime, a basic constraint that has long kept robots reliant on human assistance. The Walker S2 can now be redeployed almost continuously because each battery only takes 90 minutes to fully recharge and can walk for two hours or stand for four hours. Because of this, it is ideal for “dark factories” locations that don’t require lighting or people.
The demonstration heightens the already mounting anxiety regarding the swift ascent of humanoid robots. These machines are no longer merely sci-fi novelty items or rigid prototypes. Affordable bipedal robots from firms like Unitree are already making their way into actual industrial settings, particularly in China. While some can prepare entire breakfasts, others can sort packages. Additionally, they can now be recharged without the assistance of a technician.
What happens if robots can function without human assistance, not even for routine maintenance? It’s a blatant indication that there is less time for people to perform some types of labour. Fully automated, round-the-clock operations are currently being tested and improved upon; they are no longer merely theoretical. The question of “can they replace us?” is being replaced by “what’s left for us to do?” as robots such as the Walker S2 become more autonomous in terms of movement, manipulation, and now self-recharging.