Humanoid robots are quietly revolutionizing research and education. On March 12th, a significant announcement garnered considerable attention: UBTECH Robotics, in collaboration with the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, unveiled the "Tiangong Walker," a full-size research and education humanoid robot. Priced at a groundbreaking 299,000 RMB (approximately $43,000 USD), it shatters industry barriers, creating a wave of affordability in a market where similar products typically cost over 500,000 RMB.
This research-grade robot boasts impressive specifications beyond its affordable price. Standing at 170cm tall, it perfectly replicates human proportions, features 20 degrees of freedom, and can run stably at 10km/h, effortlessly navigating slopes, stairs, sand, and snow. Its use of titanium alloy in key areas, combined with high torque density design and aerospace-grade aluminum, achieves a perfect balance of lightweight design, high hardness, high performance, and high stability.
Designed for research and education, Tiangong Walker offers exceptional expandability and openness. It supports the easy integration of advanced equipment such as depth cameras, LiDAR, and NVIDIA Orin computing boards, reaching a maximum computing power of 550 TOPS. Furthermore, it provides full access to low-level motor interfaces, sensor interfaces, and motion control interfaces, along with comprehensive development guides and sample code, providing an ideal platform for secondary development by researchers.
As a pioneer in the humanoid robot field, UBTECH leverages 13 years of industry experience, establishing a solid foundation in R&D, supply chain, and manufacturing. In addition to this revolutionary product, UBTECH announced a 10 million RMB ("Humanoid Robot Joint Research and Creation Fund") to accelerate research and application innovation. This fund will support universities and research institutions globally in national and industry-level standards, projects, and competitions.
It's noteworthy that UBTECH, as the initiator and general manager of the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, has opened over 300 patents to the center. Together, they have developed the "Tiangong" general-purpose robot mother platform, achieving the world's first full-size, all-electric humanoid robot capable of anthropomorphic running at speeds exceeding 12km/h, showcasing globally leading whole-body coordinated control and generalized mobility. The Innovation Center has now been upgraded to the "National and Local Jointly Built Embodied Intelligent Robot Innovation Center," and launched the "Huisi Kaiwu" general-purpose embodied intelligence platform. The center continues to promote the application of embodied intelligence technology across various fields through the "Tiangong + Kaiwu" strategy.
Humanoid robots, as the ideal carriers of artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence technologies, are bringing unprecedented opportunities to scientific research and higher education. With the arrival of UBTECH's Tiangong Walker, this cutting-edge technology is finally accessible to a wider research and education community at an affordable price. Tiangong Walker is currently available for pre-order, with deliveries expected to begin in the second quarter, accelerating the adoption of humanoid robot technology in research and education.
