- Unitree and the University of Hong Kong established a joint laboratory in Shanghai, aiming to accelerate the large-scale industrial application of embodied AI.
- Unitree targets shipments of 10,000 to 20,000 humanoid robots in 2026.
Humanoid robot maker Unitree and the University of Hong Kong's (HKU) Institute of Smart Computing in Shanghai have officially unveiled a joint embodied AI laboratory, focusing on integrating cutting-edge artificial intelligence algorithms with real physical robot hardware platforms.
The lab was unveiled late last month, according to a statement on Monday. The two parties hope to accelerate the large-scale industrial application of embodied AI technology by building a translation channel from basic research to scenario validation.
Ma Yi, dean of the School of Computing and Data Science at the HKU, said the institute's goal is to transform embodied AI from a buzzword into actual productivity.
China's AI should not only strive to keep up with the top tier, but also lead and truly define the physical agents of the future, Ma added.
The new academic and industrial partnership aims to push smart robots from the lab into real commercial application scenarios such as industrial inspection and service companionship.
Unitree is one of China's largest humanoid robot makers. Its founder Wang Xingxing predicted last month that global humanoid robot shipments will reach tens of thousands of units in 2026, with Unitree targeting shipments of 10,000 to 20,000 units.
This figure would represent a significant increase from Unitree's 5,500 shipments in 2025.
The tech company, founded in 2016, has fully demonstrated the exceptional durability and high agility of its robots to the public in recent months.
The roughly 35-kilogram robot successfully completed extreme environment tests on a freezing snowfield at minus 47.4 degrees Celsius. Unitree also showcased multiple major breakthroughs in humanoid robot motion control technology to a national audience during this year's Spring Festival Gala.
