Chinese robotics company Unitree has unveiled its latest sci-like creation on Tuesday as it debuted the world's first mass-produced transformable humanoid mechanical suit designed for civilian transportation.
An official demo video shows off the impressive abilities of the mecha suit, which the company has dubbed the 'GD01,' bringing the once far-fetched science-fiction notions of the 'Transformers' franchise to life.
The newly-released demonstration video shows Unitree's founder and CEO Wang Xingxing climbing aboard and strapping himself into the mecha suit, which when standing upright is almost twice the size of an average human.
It is seen striding forward at speed and can instantly transform into a four-legged "steel beast" to traverse rugged terrain with a human occupant sitting inside as a pilot, fulfilling a mecha dream. The video clip even shows the high-tech device being able to punch through a brick wall.
Billed as the world's first production ready manned mecha, the GD01 is equipped with a 500-kg-class dynamic balance control system, allowing seamless switching between bipedal and quadrupedal modes, according to Unitree.
The bipedal mode is suitable for walking and turning on urban streets, while the quadrupedal mode can climb stairs, slopes and other complex terrains.
In recent years, China's robotics sector has been continuously advancing, from quadruped robot dogs to humanoid robots, with manned mechas now appearing to be the next stage in the ongoing development of this highly futuristic sector.
The groundbreaking launch of the GD01 has significantly moved up the timeline for the potential commercialization of such manned mechas.
Unitree brings transformers to life with world's first manned mecha suit
