The pet of the future? Creepy robot dog can talk, perform handstands, and even take photos of you
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If your real dog isn’t as obedient as you’d like, a Chinese company may have a perfect robot replacement for you.
The ‘intelligent four-legged friend robot’, called Go2, can dance, do a handstand while wiggling its legs in the air and even rush to greet its owner – just like a real dog.
He can also climb the stairs, fetch, play music through a built-in speaker and even take photos on command, which are sent directly to the owner’s smartphone.
A new promo clip shows the bot doing its tricks, including jumping between rocks and even making its way through a hedge maze.
Go2 is similar to rival Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot dog, though it’s designed for consumers at a hefty $1,600 (£1,240) price tag.
Showing off: The robot dog shows off his impressive abilities, including handstands, jumps, and dance moves
Go2 is the creation of Unitree Robotics, a company based in Hangzhou, China, which hails its new product as a “revolution in robotics.”
It follows the release of its predecessor Go1, which was released in 2021 with prices starting at an even higher $2,700 (£2,100).
The robot line’s name could be a reference to the ancient Chinese board game Go, known for its skill and complexity.
“As a four-legged robot, Unitree Go2 is not only advanced in its configuration and cool appearance, but also offers a range of interactive features, perfectly mimicking the behavior of a real dog,” the company said in a statement.
“This robot is not only an excellent example of high-tech performance, but also an indispensable part of future intelligent life.
“This product is expected to revolutionize the consumer quadruped robot industry, leading to a transformation of the industry.”
Go2, which is now available for purchase from the company website, provides real-time mapping of the terrain that a user can see on their device.
Go2 is the creation of Unitree Robotics, a company based in Hangzhou, China, which hails its new product as a “revolution in robotics.”
The company’s latest robot dog even offers real-time maps of the terrain for its owner to see on their device
What a good boy! In the promo video, Go2 greets his owner and even sticks out a ‘paw’ – just like a real dog
READ MORE: Spot the Robot Dog Dancing on BTS
Seven of the robots perform a choreographed routine to K-Pop band BTS’ hit “Permission to Dance”
To navigate the terrain, Go2 uses LIDAR, a remote sensing technology that uses reflected light to create 3D models and maps of nearby objects.
Like a smart speaker, it recognizes human voices and can respond to commands and questions, such as “can you take my picture?”
A camera where the dog’s face would be has an ultra-wide angle lens to deliver “rich clarity” snaps when commanded.
An accompanying smartphone app allows users to view the photos and even view a feed of the Go2 environment from the dog’s point of view.
The dog is also “powered” by a type of artificial intelligence (AI) known as a large language model, meaning it has been trained on large amounts of text and audio to respond in a human-like manner.
In the promo, he responds to his human in an eerie robotic voice, “Welcome home!” – when he comes back from work.
Unitree claims that Go2 can make decisions based on information from a sensor placed on one of its back ‘feet’.
Go2 navigates a hedge maze thanks to LIDAR, a remote sensing technology that uses reflected light to create 3D models and maps of nearby objects
‘Moves well in complex terrain’: The Chinese company hails its new product as a ‘revolution in robotics’
As it collects more and more information, it learns the user’s “unique characteristics,” making it his or her “best friend,” the firms add.
It’s unclear exactly what owner information it uses in this way; MailOnline has contacted the company for more information.
He also has an extendable arm on his back with a claw on the end that can pick up objects such as toys to return to the owner.
With its four legs and animal agility, Go2 resembles Spot, the dog-like robot from the American company Boston Dynamics.
Unitree and Boston Dynamics are two of the biggest rivals in the robotics industry, though the former focused more on commercially available consumer models at more affordable prices.
Spot was announced in 2016 by Boston Dynamics and went through several trials before being commercially released on June 17, 2020
Spot, Boston Dynamics’ most famous robot creation, first went on sale in 2020 and costs a whopping $75,000 (£60,000).
Compared to Unitree’s Go line, Spot is more focused on businesses, helping workers in industries such as construction, defense and building preservation.
It has even been used by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX to inspect launch sites shortly after missiles have been fired.
Both companies have been involved in debates about the potential dangers of robotic devices, as portrayed in the 2017 Black Mirror episode ‘Metalhead’.
In October, both firms were among those who signed a letter pledging not to support attempts to “arm” their products by some customers.