Unitree Robotics, a key contender in an upcoming robot combat competition, brought its cutting-edge humanoid robots to a school in east China's Hangzhou City on Wednesday, offering a live demonstration of their capabilities and a hands-on science and technology lesson for students.
The visit served as a performance test for the robots ahead of the highly anticipated world’s first-ever robot boxing match, which is part of the China Media Group (CMG) World Robotics Skills Competition. The event will take place this Sunday in Hangzhou and be livestreamed globally by China Media Group (CMG).
The students marveled at the fine movements of the robots such as straight punches, hook punches, sidekicks, aerial spin kicks and even getting up from the ground after falling.
"It's incredible. Now I really want to know how these robots can fight with each other," said Ni Zhangyao, a student watching the robot test match at Hangzhou Qian Xuesen School.
Unitree Robotics attributed its robots’ agility to advancements in core technologies, especially algorithmic breakthroughs. Wednesday’s demonstration served as a test run for the G1 robots’ formal debut on May 25, featuring motion-capture punches, knockdowns, and recoveries.
"The robots fight in a human-machine collaborative way. We have three ways of controlling them. The most common way is that the controller uses a simple controller to control the robot's movements. We will reveal two other newly-developed control modes on the match [on Sunday]. You will see how they go by that time," said Chu Yang, a marketing team member of the Unitree Robotics.
The Unitree humanoid robots also tested their endurance at the school by complete a 40-minute jogging on the basketball court, which drew enthusiastic cheers from students.
Humanoid robots showcase combat skills ahead of world’s first robot boxing match in Hangzhou
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to intensify airstrikes against Iran if a peace deal is not reached, while Tehran vowed it would not let Washington exit the crisis without paying a price.
"Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
"If they don't agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before," he added.
On the same day, Mohsen Rezaei, a senior military advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, said in an interview that Iran would not allow the United States to extricate itself from the crisis without paying a price.
Rezaei dismissed the U.S. proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as a "show" designed to facilitate a withdrawal from the region, asserting that Iran would not allow it.
He emphasized that the United States must compensate Iran for incurred losses, adding that Tehran "will certainly obtain its rights and compensation."
The United States and Iran are close to agreeing a one-page memo to end their war, U.S. online media outlet Axios reported on Wednesday.
A potential deal would involve Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment and the United States agreeing to lift sanctions, with both sides lifting restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz, it said.
The New York Post reported on Wednesday that Trump said it is "too soon" to start thinking about face-to-face peace talks between the United States and Iran, despite optimistic reports that the two nations were closing in on a potential framework to end their war.
The United States and Israel began attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities on Feb 28, killing senior Iranian officials and civilians, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and U.S. interests in the region and tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire took effect on April 8. Talks between the Iranian and U.S. delegations in Islamabad on April 11-12 ended without an agreement. After negotiations collapsed, the U.S. imposed a blockade of the strait.
Trump threatens heavier bombing if no deal reached, Iran seeks reparations
Trump threatens heavier bombing if no deal reached, Iran seeks reparations
