The Chinese developer Unitree just released a promo video for their newest device and it is being marketed to as a robotic hiking companion. The Super Athlete AS2-W model is designed to navigate steep and variable terrain utilizing a classic four-legged mechanism combined with wheel travel. The high performance quadruped robot is optimized for useful carrying capacity (35lbs payload), speed, agility, and AI-driven autonomy.
Not difficult to imagine these “super athletic” gizmos out on trails accompanying hikers as futuristic pack animals lightening your load and keeping pace with the speediest of hikers. Unitree has not officially released the price on this unit but it is speculated it will cost around $40,000. By no means is that a cheap addition to your trekking kit but its about half what you would spend on a Spot robot from Boston Dynamics.
Whether or not you see this as an advancement in the world of hiking or antithetical to the outdoors ethos, the AS2-W is incredibly impressive. Check out the specs below.
AS2-W has impressive performance thanks to its modern architecture:
- Movement speed: up to 6 m/s.
- Load capacity: static load up to 150 kg.
- Passability: able to overcome slopes up to 45 degrees and obstacles up to 80 cm high.
- Weight: about 25 kg (including battery).
- Drive: 16 motors with low inertia.
- Autonomy: The 15,000 mAh lithium-ion battery provides up to 3 hours of operation without load (about 30 km) and more than 2 hours when transporting a load of 16 kg (about 25 km).
- Temperature range: from -20 to +55 °C with protection class IP54.
