Quadruped Robots
— Bionic robots with legged mobility —
With their adorable appearance and diverse functionalities, quadruped robots are entering public life, expanding their application fields from industrial inspections to educational companionship.
01
Unitree Robotics Dog
Developed by Hangzhou Unitree Technology Co., Ltd., launched in 2017, the product line includes various types. For instance, the bionic robot dog Go1 released in 2021 can run at speeds of up to 4.7 m/s; the Unitree Go2 launched in 2023 comes standard with a 4D ultra-wide-angle LiDAR and is powered by AI large models; the Unitree A2, set to be released in 2025, weighs approximately 37 kg, has a range of 20 km on a single charge, a maximum running speed of 5 m/s, and can withstand the jumping of an adult male on its back, allowing it to walk stably on complex terrains like gravel.
02
Zhejiang University’s “Black Panther”
Developed by the Humanoid Robot Innovation Research Institute at Zhejiang University, the second generation of the “Black Panther” will be released in January 2025. It can switch from a standstill to a sprinting state in less than one second, achieving a maximum speed of 10 m/s, breaking the world record held by Boston Dynamics’ “Cheetah” for over a decade. It stands 63 cm tall, weighs 38 kg, and its compact design enhances its movement performance through coordinated quadrupedal motion and optimized structure and materials.
03
Functions and Applications
Industrial Inspections: Equipped with pan-tilt cameras and AI recognition devices, they can scan for container damage at ports, identify foreign objects, conduct fire prevention patrols in forests, and perform security inspections in petrochemical fields, identifying risks in real-time and linking with emergency command centers.
Rescue and Firefighting: Capable of transmitting high-definition live footage, accurately detecting and relaying data on flammable and toxic gases, penetrating smoke to track heat sources, assisting command personnel with remote visual monitoring. For example, the robotic dog deployed by the Qingdao Fire Rescue Team in Shandong Province has a range of over 15 km and can operate continuously for 3.6 hours.
Environmental Monitoring: The first “robot dog + microfluidics” mobile water quality monitoring platform debuted in Hangzhou. This robot dog has all-terrain adaptability, covering a detection range of 20 km on a single charge and completing tests for pH, COD, and other indicators in just five minutes.
Public Services: In communities, it can serve as an “elderly assistant,” recognizing room numbers and carrying a medicine box to remind the elderly to take their medication on time, recommending menus, and providing self-service meal delivery. It can also alert when an elderly person falls. In schools, it can act as a “smart coach,” guiding students during exercise and helping them maintain correct posture through voice prompts.
Entertainment and Companionship: It can transform into a lively dancer at tourist attractions, providing performances or acting as a tour guide. It can also serve as a family pet, interacting with owners through voice chat and performing actions like sitting and jumping, providing emotional companionship.
