I am passionate about robotics, so much so that on these very pages, in February 2024, I had already mentioned the topic with the article: "Where humans cannot reach, robots arrive. And they are already among us!"
Now, with the constant updating of news, even a little “heartfelt” and “slang” that comes from the White House about trade tariffs, I believe that breaking the tension by talking about the future challenges that science can bring to the table is also, ultimately, healthy.
The future of robots
The protagonist of this new viral wave is Unitree H1, a humanoid robot developed by the Chinese Unitree Robotics. This is not a product from a fair or even images generated by artificial intelligence: it is a real android, designed on a bipedal basis, equipped with highly reactive servomotors, artificial vision and advanced balance control algorithms.
Its performance speaks for itself: it can walk, run up to 11 km/h, perform vertical jumps of 40 cm, move on uneven terrain and perform dynamic martial arts sequences. It is, to date, one of the few bipedal robots to achieve such results with a "commercial" and not laboratory design.
Its price? Between 90.000 and 100.000 dollars per specimen, a surprisingly low figure when compared to other humanoids such as Atlas by Boston Dynamics or those developed for testing NATO-oriented, which can exceed $500.000 per prototype.
A robotic infantry?
Front-line use, for example by forming a robotic squad or platoon, remains unlikely at present due to well-known limitations: energy autonomy is still limited (less than an hour at full load), vulnerability to atmospheric agents and combat impacts is high, and constant human supervision and control remains necessary.
However, the discussion changes if we move to the level of logistical support, training and simulation. Robots as Unitree H1 can already have a concrete operational function today. Think of the transport of loads (like mechanical mules in less hostile theaters), the exploration and mapping of urban or treacherous environments, or even the simulation of human behavior during complex exercises.
According to credible estimates, these uses could become standard within the next 3-5 years, especially in advanced training centers or on low-risk secondary missions.
China Military Invests
Unitree Robotics is a private company, but the collaboration between industry and state apparatus in China is well known. Public documents and strategic research of the PLA (People's Liberation Army) clearly indicate the goal of integrating autonomous and robotic systems into military doctrine by 2030.
During the latest Chinese airshows, such as the Zhuhai Airshow, Beijing has already demonstrated armed ground drones and semi-autonomous robotic vehicles in action. The H1 robot, although not explicitly designed for military use, could be tested in controlled military contexts, as has already happened with other civilian systems that have since been adapted.
Definitely, Unitree H1 What Kung Fu does today is an extraordinary feat of engineering strength and a strategic message that should not be underestimated: “Look what we can do.”
And if today an automaton imitating Bruce Lee makes us smile, tomorrow we could find ourselves witnessing a new generation of "soldiers" with a motherboard, optical sensors and maybe a QR code printed under the armor.
Science fiction? Maybe. But in China, as often happens, the future is already in production.
Photo: Unitree Robotics
