Humanoid robots have made great strides recently, and much is expected from the advanced machines in the coming year.
The process of training humanoid robots can take various forms. Unitree’s G1 robot, for example, is trained in part through teleoperation, with a human operator wearing a motion capture suit or using controllers to perform specific movements or entire tasks, with the robot mirroring the movements in real time.
The process generates data that feeds into imitation learning algorithms, giving the robot new autonomous capabilities. Additional reinforcement learning refines the model to make movements more fluid and effective.
But teleoperation clearly carries some risks, especially when you get too close to the robot you’re training.
Take this recent viral video (below), which appears to show Unitree’s G1 robot in a training session. The teleoperator performs a series of martial arts moves while moving around a small room containing the humanoid robot.
Everything seems to be going smoothly as the robot mimics the teleoperator’s kicks with great precision.
But then the teleoperator turns slightly to deliver a big kick. Unfortunately for the teleoperator, the robot mimicking his moves does the same kick, catching the guy right where it hurts.
He falls to the ground and lets out a cry of pain as he falls. Of course the robot also falls to the ground. If it had been equipped with voice capabilities, we probably would have heard a whine too.
The teleoperator learned the hard way that training a humanoid robot using this method must be done with great care and attention. One wrong move and you could be left writhing in agony on the floor.
Unitree introduced the impressive G1 humanoid robot in 2024 and made it available for purchase in early 2025 for around $13,000. The Chinese company targets research institutions, universities and companies for research and development in the fields of humanoid robotics and AI.
