Watch: Wheeled Robodog Conquers Walls, Furniture, and Stairs

Around this time last year, the Chinese robotics company Unitree impressed us with the circus tricks and GPT chat capabilities of its $1,600 second-generation robot dog. Now, the company has introduced an all-terrain upgrade.

While robot quadrupeds can be fast, agile, useful, and even cute, moving on all fours isn’t always ideal. In some scenarios, rolling might be more efficient, as demonstrated by the Swiss-Mile Robot and the W1. Now, Unitree has joined the wheeled robo-pack with the Go2-W.

Assertive Wheeled Bot Outpaces Non-Wheeled Counterpart, Despite Identical Top Speed

The video below features the new wheeled bot displaying a somewhat assertive demeanor when encountering its non-wheeled counterpart. It appears to be faster in a head-to-head sprint, although the current specifications list its top speed as identical to the base Go2 at 5.6 mph (2.5 m/s).

Advanced Sensor Suite and Connectivity

Like the Go2, the W variant also features super-wide-angle LiDAR and wide-angle vision cameras in its sensor suite, along with octa-core processing, Wi-Fi, 4G, and Bluetooth connectivity. It has a 15,000-mAh battery that can last up to four hours per charge and supports fast charging to minimize downtime.

Instead of pads, the ends of its jointed legs have motorized wheels with 7-inch pneumatic tires, enabling the Go2-W to glide on flat surfaces or adjust angles for minor bumps.

The bot locks its wheels when walking over challenging terrain, climbing stairs, tackling obstacles, or performing acrobatic maneuvers like balancing on its front legs.

Robodog Carries 6.6 lb Payload, Stands Taller, and Includes Front Lighting and Voice Function

The robodog can carry a payload of around 6.6 lb (3 kg), stands taller than the Go2 at 27.6 inches (70 cm), and weighs about 40 lb (18 kg). It includes front lighting for nighttime missions and a voice function, likely the same natural-language GPT engine found in the non-wheeled model.

Like the Go2, the W variant also features super-wide-angle LiDAR and wide-angle vision cameras in its sensor suite, along with octa-core processing, Wi-Fi, 4G, and Bluetooth connectivity. It has a 15,000-mAh battery that can last up to four hours per charge and supports fast charging to minimize downtime.

Instead of pads, the ends of its jointed legs have motorized wheels with 7-inch pneumatic tires, enabling the Go2-W to glide on flat surfaces or adjust angles for minor bumps. The wheels can be locked when the bot needs to walk over challenging terrain, climb stairs, tackle obstacles, or perform acrobatic maneuvers like balancing on its front legs.

The robodog can carry a payload of around 6.6 lb (3 kg), stands taller than the Go2 at 27.6 inches (70 cm), and weighs about 40 lb (18 kg). It includes front lighting for nighttime missions and a voice function, likely the same natural-language GPT engine found in the non-wheeled model.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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