The Future Humanoid Robot: A 6-Foot-Tall Muscular Being with a Chinese Build and an American Mind

The humanoid robot of tomorrow is a towering figure with a chassis sourced from China and an intelligence powered by American silicon.

This week, Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, unveiled a design for the bot that integrates several elements: a 6-foot, 150-pound robot named H2 Plus from Unitree, a notable Chinese robotics startup; a Thor T5000 Nvidia chip; an advanced humanoid hand; and a suite of software that simplifies programming and training. Collectively, these components will facilitate researchers, including those in US academic institutions, to develop state-of-the-art humanoids and teach them their own AI algorithms.

The Thor chip is capable of operating robust AI models that enable the bot to interpret its surroundings and manage its movements, while the body is equipped with Unitree’s motors, actuators, and sensors. The versatile, humanlike hand from Singapore’s Sharpa is adept at tasks ranging from performing card tricks to peeling fruit. (Achieving dexterity remains a major challenge in robotics.)

Spencer Huang, Nvidia’s robotics product director, told WIRED that the company aims to share its silicon technology with as many humanoid manufacturers as possible. “Unitree is the first, but they certainly won’t be the last,” Huang mentioned. (Yes, he is indeed Jensen’s son.) He also noted that the technology in H2 could enhance the capabilities of other Chinese robots, including traditional industrial arms.

In some respects, the partnership is surprising: Robotics has become a key battleground in US-China tech rivalry, and some lawmakers have suggested prohibiting Chinese humanoids altogether. Last year, cybersecurity experts claimed that Unitree’s robots had the potential to capture and relay data, raising security concerns.

However, the collaboration also makes a lot of sense. “This is a compelling advancement,” remarks Scott Singer, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who focuses on AI governance and China. Singer observes that while the US excels in producing the best AI chips, China’s supply chain provides its robotics firms with a substantial hardware advantage. “Both nations possess critical elements of the supply chain that could potentially be weaponized, yet here they are collaborating,” he notes.

Courtesy of NVIDIA

On its part, Nvidia seems to acknowledge the security issues. Aside from agile fingers and a smart brain, the new H2 Plus blueprint includes security measures intended to assure users that their data and models remain protected.