Has the robot revolution finally arrived? Watch this Chinese humanoid and decide for yourself
China’s new robotic marvel has people predicting the mechanical nightmares will take over a lot sooner.
OK, it’s here. The robots, they’re taking over. I’ve decided it’s happening, and when you see the video below, you will too. But first, the story behind what’s going on.
Chinese developers UBTech have created the Walker S2 robot, a 5 foot 3 inches (162 centimetres) tall and 95 pounds (43 kilograms) humanoid-shaped mechanical helper — one that can run 24/7. They don’t need us anymore.
And we can no longer rely on the ultimate ‘power down’ of the robots, because they can now change their own batteries.
In a simply sensational video, a Walker S2 is seen swivelling its dislocated shoulders to place its arms behind its back, removing the old 48-volt lithium battery and swapping it out for a brand new one from a charging station. It’s the robot equivalent of drinking a Gatorade and a Mountain Dew together, and it’s terrifying.
One battery, as things stand (but expect them to get better), lasts for two hours of standing or four hours of movement before it runs out. The battery takes 90 minutes to fully recharge once depleted.
Local media were given a statement from the developers, who claimed that the robot is capable of reading how much power it has left and deciding whether it is best to swap out a battery or simply charge up, based on the priority of its tasks.
The robots have also been filmed working at NIO car factories, on the production line, doing menial tasks. The robot has the same articulation as human beings, so we’re even there, but they can be connected to both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
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