Recently, in Changsha, Hunan Province, Mr. Lei spent over 300,000 yuan (RMB) to purchase a Ubtech G1 humanoid robot, but he expressed some disappointment after experiencing it.
On February 22, Mr. Lei posted a video on a social media platform, stating that he had purchased a 300,000 yuan toy: the Ubtech G1 humanoid robot.
In the video, Mr. Lei and the staff lifted the robot out of the box, and under the control of the staff, the robot stood up and took a few steps. Mr. Lei shook hands with the robot and demonstrated, but the robot’s movements were not very agile. When shaking hands with the other hand, the robot hesitated for a while and then extended the previous hand again.
Mr. Lei then announced that the Ubtech G1 humanoid robot is available for nationwide rental. It can be used for various commercial activities such as grand openings, advertising promotions, company events, technology exhibitions, etc. The daily rental fee starts from 8,000 yuan, including the cost of an operator for the day.
On February 24, Mr. Lei told “Xiaoxiang Morning News” that he is in the car rental business. After watching videos of Ubtech robots online, he thought there might be a market for rentals and made the decision to purchase one.
He explained that the robot he purchased is from the same company that participated in this year’s CCTV Spring Festival Gala, costing him 319,000 yuan. The robot stands 1.3 meters tall, weighs 70 catties, and is slightly smaller in size compared to the one at the Spring Festival Gala. However, the robot’s functions are basic, like that of a two to three-year-old child, capable of simple actions such as reaching out, shaking hands, waving, and turning its head. It cannot dance, perform household chores, and is even prone to falling while walking.
In response to this, he expressed some disappointment.
The news sparked discussion among netizens. Many expressed, “There is a significant difference compared to the dancing Ubtech robot reported a few days ago.” “In the end, the one dancing on the Spring Festival Gala is also remote-controlled, lacking independent thinking, judgment, and action! I knew Chinese-made robots couldn’t be that advanced.”
Some netizens also commented, “Yes, my company specializes in robots. In summary, what is currently considered robots are essentially artificially disabled, lacking any technical complexity, just utilizing decades-old technology to operate the motors. It’s the same level of technology found in remote-controlled cars costing a few dozens of yuan.” “The dancing is pre-programmed. Or each robot corresponds to a remote control operator who issues commands. It’s light-years away from autonomous robots.”
(screenshot from webpage)