Unitree Robotics unveils Superman: The humanoid robot that outpaces humans

Unitree Robotics has unveiled Superman, a humanoid robot that has broken records in speed and agility, placing China at the forefront of the robotics industry. On August 17, the company posted a 30-second video on the Chinese social network Weibo, showcasing the headless robot jumping six and a half feet and sprinting over 28 miles per hour, surpassing the fastest human sprint ever recorded by Usain Bolt at 27.78 mph.

Only two days later, Unitree went public on Shanghai’s stock market, and its stock briefly reached $163.66, a 629% premium over its offer price. This valuation puts the company near $66 billion, making it a significant player in the robotics market. Unitree’s IPO marks the first listing of a general-purpose robotics company in China, with demand for retail shares exceeding 8,000 times the available supply.

The company's robots have gained popularity for their impressive abilities, including running, dancing, and performing martial arts. The company’s founder, Wang Xingxing, unveiled Superman, which is capable of jumping 6.6 feet and reaching a top speed of 28.3 mph. The robot is an experimental platform for studying highly dynamic movements and was developed in under three months, with potential for further improvement.

The launch of Superman has set a new benchmark for the industry, with other companies, such as UBTech and Tesla, lagging behind. The race to develop humanoid robots is becoming a strategic priority for China as it competes with the United States in the technology sector.