The Chinese company Unitree Robotics is launching a robotic dog that follows its owner and can carry small groceries. The cheapest version of the Unitree Go1 robotic dog costs a minimum of $2,700.
The robot walks on four legs and is equipped with all kinds of cameras and sensors at the front, with which it maps the world around it. This way he knows where he is going and he can avoid obstacles. Go1 walks independently and, according to the maker, always stays with its owner.
A demonstration video shows different scenarios where the robot dog comes in handy. For example, he runs along during a running lap, for example to indicate the pace, but he can also carry a bottle of water and small groceries. The owner does not have to lift it himself.
There are three versions of the Go1. The cheapest variant, the Go1 Air, costs $2,700. It has fewer sensors, is less powerful and has a slightly lower top speed than the other versions. For example, the Go1 Air can reach a speed of 9 kilometers per hour.
The $3,500 Go1 can reach a speed of 12.6 kilometers per hour and the $8,500 Go1 Edu has a top speed of 13.3 kilometers per hour. The Go1 Edu also has a LiDAR scanner to register the environment even more accurately and it works with 4G and 5G.
It is not known how long the battery of the robot dog will last. Often these robots do not last very long without charging. By way of comparison: the now well-known robot dog Spot from Boston Dynamics lasts an hour and a half on a full battery charge. That device is also a lot more expensive: 74,500 dollars.