July 27, 2025 21:30 IST Follow Us The R1 with its price tag of $5,900, aims to make such advanced technology more accessible to the masses. Whatever the US does, China can do it too. US made the revolutionary Tesla electric car, and China pioneered the electric vehicle industry. US made the smart Optimus robot, now China has built a cheaper one that seems more capable – at least on paper. Meet the Unitree Robotics R1 – a sub-$6,000 robot that claims to do everything the upcoming Tesla bot can do. The R1 advanced humanoid robot has impressed the world with its wide array of capabilities and features. In a video shared on social media, the R1 was seen performing the world’s first robot kip-up, running, kicking, and even performing a cartwheel! For a humanoid robot that costs as little as $5,900, this is nothing short of impressive. Elon Musk‘s Tesla needs to catch up, or does it? What can the R1 robot do? The R1’s capabilities, which were showcased in the viral video, mark a significant leap forward in robotic locomotion and balance. The “kip-up,” which is a complex gymnastic maneuver involving a person or robot transitioning from a supine position to standing without using their hands, highlights the R1’s impressive motor control and dynamic stability. ALSO READ GTA 6 could cost more than Burj Khalifa to develop: Check release day, India price, characters and more Beyond the kip-up, the robot also demonstrated the actions of running, precise kicking motions, and the complex execution of a cartwheel. Mind you that these are all movements that require intricate coordination and challenging, rapid adjustments for humans. A robot managing to do the same is nothing but impressive! What’s even more surprising is the robot’s price tag. Most advanced humanoid robots, which are still confined to the labs, could cost hundreds of dollars once they are revealed to the market. The R1 with its price tag of $5,900, aims to make such advanced technology more accessible to the masses. Whether you seek an advanced humanoid robot for personal use or for research, the R1 could make it all happen. Netizens react to China’s affordable robot With the viral video online, netizens have expressed their take on China’s affordable humanoid robot. While some have praised the bot for its capabilities to undertake complex tasks and gymnastics movements, others question the ability of these bots to do more intelligent tasks like coding, cooking and other brain-centric activities. One user explained the lower costs, citing how the actual usable version is a lot pricier than the advertised figure. “The intended and understood purpose of this robot is for Research and Development activities. On the base Standard ($5.6K) version, “secondary development” is NOT supported. This means there is NO API. You CANNOT do research or program it. It is not fit for purpose. The internal Linux System has been completely locked down at the silicon level and you cannot install your own apps,” wrote @liminalsunset_. ALSO READ