“Terminator, Move Over!” – Humanoid Robot Unitree G1 Masters Kung Fu

Humanoid robots from the Chinese company Unitree have made headlines more than once — they can do somersaults, dance, crack nuts, and toast. A recent update to the control algorithm has expanded the G1’s balancing capabilities and movement repertoire — now this $16,000 robot has mastered kung fu techniques. Given that the manufacturer often demonstrates the capabilities of its products in public places, the Chinese should be careful when going outside.

Image source: Unitree Robotics

It should be noted that at the end of the video, the manufacturer recommends that owners “refrain from making any dangerous modifications or using the robot in a dangerous manner,” which, to put it mildly, is a slight contrast to the content of the video.

Robotics technology is advancing at an alarmingly fast pace. In early March 2024, the Unitree H1 robot set a world speed record for a full-size humanoid robot. In late March, it became the first humanoid robot in the world to perform a backflip without the use of hydraulics.

In early February 2025, Unitree demonstrated 16 of its H1 humanoid robots dancing alongside human dancers at a Chinese New Year gala event. Not only did the robots move in sync with the humans, they also flawlessly performed complex acrobatic feats. In particular, they excelled at the handkerchief manipulation elements of the Chinese folk dance Yangge.

Earlier, in May 2024, the humanoid G1 model showed a number of impressive acrobatic feats and completed tasks requiring developed fine motor skills, such as cracking nuts and making toast. In addition, the testers in their video demonstrated a real-life beating of the robot by a human, and the robot managed to stay on its feet.

Given G1’s recent progress in martial arts, one might wonder if the creators shouldn’t have hit and kicked the robot. After all, he may well want revenge, including for the brutally beaten robodog. And he’ll certainly remember all the grievances the “skin bags” suffered during the machine uprising – especially since he now knows how to do it.