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The newly launched Unitree Go2-W quadruped, featuring innovative wheel-equipped feet, is poised to revolutionize mobility with its unique modes of transportation. | Credit score: Unitree
Introduced its latest quadruped innovation, the Go2-W – a pioneering wheeled platform. This is a development of its budget-friendly Go2 quadruped design. Introducing the Go2-W options wheel system, which replaces traditional “paws” to provide a unique kinematic design that enables the robot to be agile, efficient on challenging terrain, and capable of novel movements.
While operating in wheeled mode, the legs of the Go2-W effectively function as dynamic shock absorbers, significantly enhancing the overall user experience.
The Go2-W shares many fundamental specifications with the Go2, including The Unitree system incorporates its proprietary 4D LIDAR L1 technology, boasting a 360-degree by 90-degree hemispherical ultra-wide field of view for comprehensive recognition. The Go2-W measures 70cm by 43cm by 50cm, or approximately 27.5 inches by 16.9 inches by 19.7 inches, and tips the scales at a lightweight 18 kilograms, equivalent to 39.7 pounds. While the fundamental characteristics of the Go2-W are identical to those of the Go2, the key differentiator lies in its extended battery life, boasting an impressive 15,000mAh capacity.
The video showcases the Go2-W’s versatile capabilities, effortlessly transitioning between 2-wheel and 4-wheel modes as desired. This advanced vehicle is capable of mimicking a conventional quadruped’s gait by momentarily locking its wheels, thereby enabling it to traverse barriers up to 70 centimeters or approximately 2.3 feet in height.
Electric vehicles’ wheels enable prolonged expeditions to become significantly more eco-friendly.
However, Unitree does pioneer in this field? Companies such as Tesla and Uber have consistently showcased prototypes of four-wheeled transportation systems. A novel wheeled quadruped robot is proposed, combining the benefits of both wheels and legs to navigate various terrain with enhanced environmental sustainability. When encountering obstacles such as stairs, the mode of movement may shift to a quadrupedal gait.
While Unitree has not disclosed the price of the premium Go2-W model, its entry-level variant, the Go2, starts at a reasonable $1600 USD.
The Boston Dynamics Spot and ANYbotics ANYmal are both industrial-grade quadruped robots, engineered to operate effectively in extreme environments. The ANYmal robot is designed to operate in areas where explosive chemical compounds or fumes may be present, and has been licensed for such use.
The firms Unitree, Boston Dynamics, and ANYbotics, among others, operate in the naval sphere of cellular robotics.
The Unitree Go2-W robotic is capable of navigating through enormous hurdles with ease. | Credit score: Unitree
