The future of robotics just got a wild ride and this is one you can literally ride. The Unitree A2 Stellar Explorer is the latest robot earning the moniker of being lighter, stronger, and faster, than its predecessors, and it is making headlines by performing a stunt that would be more at home in a science fiction film: the ability to carry the weight of an adult human being like a strange four-legged skateboard.
In a shocking marketing clip, the 81-pound mechanical monster makes a 220-pound man stand up on its back with ease. The spindly yet muscular legs of the A2 never give way even when he bounces on it ollie-style. Although it remains indecisive whether you can ride the street like Tony Hawk, the futuristic machine is like the conceptual rideable robot horse by Kawasaki only that it is a reality.
Unitree goes to great lengths to emphasize its durability by having the A2 hit a pane of glass dead on without so much as a hitch. It is flexing that highlights how much robot dog technology has advanced over the last few years.
Unitree has been causing ripples with both bipedal humanoids and four-legged robots, and undercutting competitors on price. A humanoid G1 will set you back approximately 16,000 dollars, whereas the cheapest model is the Unitree Go, which costs approximately 5,000 dollars. The price of the Stellar Explorer is unknown yet, but since it has some of the most advanced features, it can be estimated that it will be much more expensive.
Under the hood or fur, the A2 packs serious specs: a LiDAR sensor system, a high-performance CPU, and a battery capable of five hours of continuous walking without a load (about 12.4 miles) or three hours with a 50-pound payload (around 7.7 miles). It can comfortably ascend 45 degree slopes thanks to its industrial grade motor system.
And the people who still desire even greater mobility can purchase an optional wheel-leg package, which is basically built in roller blades, so the Unitree can be able to roll smoothly and at high speeds.
Combining brute force, agility, and a futuristic aesthetic, the Stellar Explorer is a definite warning that the Boston Dynamics Spot Mini now has some serious competition, and it is coming out of China. And this could be your best chance yet to ride a robot dog into the future.