EngineAI’s PM01 sets new standard in humanoid robots-affordable, dynamic, smart VIDEO

30 December 2024 11:23

EngineAI Robotics, a Shenzhen-based firm, has entered the competitive humanoid robotics market with the release of its latest model, the PM01, described as a "lightweight, highly dynamic, and fully open universal embodied intelligent robot."

This announcement follows the company’s unveiling of the SE01 humanoid in October 2023, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The SE01, which features a neural network and a "natural" gait, became available for global sales on December 24, 2023. Both commercial and educational versions of the SE01 are priced at 88,000 yuan (£10,000) and will remain at this price until March 31, 2025. During this period, buyers of the commercial version will have the option to upgrade to the educational model.

While the PM01's price point of approximately $12,000 is lower than the anticipated $20,000 to $30,000 cost of Tesla’s Optimus robot, the capabilities of humanoid robots remain limited. The PM01 stands at 1.38 metres (4.5 feet), weighs 40 kg (88 lbs), and offers 24 degrees of freedom (DoF), allowing for a movement speed of 2 m/s (4.4 mph). The robot’s 320-degree waist rotation provides enhanced mobility, while its mechanical and natural gait modes enable advanced walking functions.

EngineAI claims that the PM01's advanced optical motion-capture technology and an end-to-end neural network enable it to replicate human motion accurately, making it adaptable to various environments. The robot boasts improved open-source capabilities, dynamic performance, and hardware stability over its predecessor, according to the company.

The PM01's computing system is built on an X86 architecture, featuring NVIDIA Jetson Orin high-performance modules. It supports cross-platform algorithm deployment and application development. EngineAI has also incorporated a user-friendly control interface, inspired by Iron Man, allowing users to issue commands and access functions seamlessly.

Earlier this year, China’s National Local Joint Humanoid Robot Innovation Center launched a data-sharing initiative to support local developers, with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology aiming for mass production of humanoid robots by 2025.

EngineAI, alongside other companies like Fourier and UBTECH, is leaning on the open-source community for software development. The firm has also contributed to advancing humanoid robotics through its in-house development of powered joints, algorithms, and proprietary modules. Since its launch, the company has delivered nearly 100 units in just five months.

In August 2024, EngineAI raised undisclosed seed funding, bringing its total investment to $4.5 million, according to PitchBook. The launch of the PM01 represents a significant step towards the company’s 2025 development goals, marking a further evolution of embodied intelligence and paving the way for the potential advent of artificial general intelligence (AGI).