Fourier Intelligence, a global technology company specializing in rehabilitation robotics and artificial intelligence, today unveiled its first-generation humanoid robot GR-1 at the 2023 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai.
As a product developed with cutting-edge proprietary technologies, GR-1 is among the few domestic humanoid robots that can achieve commercialized application at scale, marking a milestone in the development of general robotics.
Standing 1.65 meters tall and weighing 55 kilograms, GR-1 has 40 degrees of freedom (actuators) all over its body. With a peak torque of 300NM generated by a joint module installed at the hip, the robot is able to walk at 5 kilometers per hour and carry a load of 50 kilograms.
After years of accumulation in core technologies, GR-1 stands out for exceptional athletic intelligence. With a bionic structure and human-like motion control, the robot can walk bipedally, avoid obstacles, ascend and descend a slope with stability and withstand shocks.
Coupled with cognitive intelligence provided by ChatGPT-like tools, GR-1 is even capable of interacting with humans while performing a variety of movement and tasks. This will likely unleash immense potential across a broad spectrum of application scenarios including industrial production, rehabilitative care, scientific research and household service.
Electricity-powered GR-1 possesses a high degree of motion precision and agility, allowing it to adapt to different working environments and requirements.
Some of GR-1’s technical specifications
Compared to a hydraulic power system, the design of GR-1 is more cost-efficient and suitable for commercialized mass production. It also represents a more environmentally friendly choice thanks to less energy and resource consumption.
Fourier Intelligence’s research on bipedal robotics dates back to 2017, when it released the country’s first commercialized lower extremity exoskeleton. It has since been committed to the independent development of core hardware and software essential to bipedal robots. Owing to its successes in rehabilitative technology, Fourier Intelligence kicked off the humanoid robot program in 2019 and has steadily established its leading position in the sector.
Over the course of developing its exoskeletons in previous years, Fourier Intelligence has acquired underlying technologies in sensors, modular designs, all-in-one actuators, and bionic structure — with actuators becoming its core strengths.
Actuator is a crucial component of a robot, as it determines its power, stability, payload, safety and reliability. Therefore, Fourier Intelligence’s self-developed FSA (Fourier Smart Actuator) high-performance, all-in-one actuator series has given GR-1 a head start among peers.
GR-1 seen from different angles
Robotics serves as an avenue for AI technologies to connect with the physical world. With predictable advances in the new realm of “Embodied AI”, a blend with robotics will help AI become more practical, intuitive, and interactive, as well as evolve into a key partner of humans and bring enormous convenience and benefits.
As a potential carrier for next-generation “Embodied AI”, the appearance of GR-1 is expected to spur the whole industry to endorse humanoid, general-purpose robotics.
“This shift is comparable to the transition from desktop computer to personal laptop, and then to smartphone,” said Alex Gu Jie, founder and CEO of Fourier Intelligence. “General-purpose humanoid robots will gradually become a mainstream segment of the industry going forward.”
GR-1 in action
By seizing the opportunity made available by innovations like large language model, Fourier Intelligence is leveraging its early-mover advantage to venture into general robotics, a market with a potential worth of trillions of yuan.
Rising adoption of general robotics across various industries has bright market prospects. GR-1 boasts a highly scalable design and is open to verification of AI models and algorithms. Furthermore, Fourier Intelligence is exploring ways to deploy this device to use cases such as disaster relief and response, senior care and household service.
In the next two to three years, Fourier Intelligence will utilize GR-1 to optimize its ecosystem, spark a frenzy over a mix of AI and robotics, and drive the localization efforts of the industrial chain.
