The PUDU D9 walks at up to 2 m/s, navigating stairs, slopes, and urban terrain with advanced algorithms for quiet, efficient movement. Pudu Robotics
Chinese robotics firm Pudu Robotics has introduced its first full-sized bipedal humanoid robot.
In a video, the humanoid called the PUDU D9 demonstrated its capabilities like upright movement, efficient obstacle navigation, slope climbing, and ground cleaning tasks.
“As a fully anthropomorphic robot, its design closely mirrors human capabilities while striving to provide practical assistance across a diverse range of applications,” said the firm in a statement.
The PUDU D9, designed for practical embodied intelligence, is set to enter pre-sale soon. According to the firm, interested buyers can now submit inquiries via its official website.
Created by Pudu X-Lab, the robot joins the semi-humanoid PUDU D7 and the agile PUDU DH11, becoming the team’s third release by the firm this year.
Bipedal precision
The PUDU D9 has a maximum joint torque of 352 Nm and 42 degrees of freedom across its joints. It weighs 143 pounds (65 kilograms) and stands 170 cm tall.
The humanoid features the previously released PUDU DH11 dexterous hand, which allows it to walk on two feet like a human and perform dual-handed tasks.
The PUDU D9 showcases advanced capabilities in mobility, precision, and interaction. Its dynamic mobility stems from a bipedal design that allows walking speeds of up to 2 m/s on flat surfaces, while effortlessly navigating stairs, slopes, and complex urban terrains.
Advanced algorithms enable lightweight gait control, reducing noise for seamless operation in human environments. Equipped with a visual semantic navigation system and high-accuracy sensors, Pudu claims D9 performs real-time 3D semantic mapping, ensuring accurate self-positioning and autonomous route planning.
The humanoid is equipped with the previously released PUDU DH11 dexterous hand, enabling human-like bipedal walking and dual-hand operational capabilities.
In terms of precision manipulation, the D9 is equipped with two 7-degree-of-freedom robotic arms with a payload capacity of over 44 pounds (20 kilograms). When combined with the PUDU DH11 dexterous hand, it excels in delicate tasks, leveraging proprietary reinforcement learning algorithms for rapid learning and effective task planning.
Additionally, the robot’s seamless natural interaction is driven by high-precision visual, tactile, force, and auditory sensors, enabling it to collect and process multimodal environmental data.
According to the firm, its sophisticated AI framework integrates advanced models to deliver human-level multimodal interactions, enhancing the quality and responsiveness of its services across applications. Combining these capabilities, with D9, the PUDU aims to redefine expectations for service robots in diverse environments.
Advancing robotic capabilities
The Shenzhen-based company has mostly concentrated on creating cutting-edge service robots for a range of sectors, such as manufacturing, retail, healthcare, entertainment, dining, hospitality, and education.
Three distinct robot types are the focus of Pudu Robotics: fully humanoid robots for complex human interactions, semi-humanoid robots for adaptable and flexible applications, and specialized robots for certain tasks.
Every kind of robot in the service robotics sector satisfies a unique set of requirements, enhancing customer happiness and operational effectiveness. The business believes this new technique has significant prospects for the evolution of humanoid robotics and opens the door to a future where robots can smoothly execute a wide range of functions across various settings.
Pudu D7 was the company’s initial attempt at creating a humanoid robot. To increase movement and dexterity, it combines a human-like upper torso, robotic arms, and a fully omnidirectional chassis.
Its bionic arm, which extends 65 cm with 30 degrees of freedom, can increase to 50 degrees with a dexterous hand attachment. These features allow the D7 to perform tasks like elevator operation, item transport, and sorting.
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The firm later developed the PUDU DH11, an advanced 11-DOF, 5-finger dexterous hand, advancing robotic manipulation with tactile sensing and human-like precision. The DH11 has been featured on the D9.
“Building on this strong foundation, the company aims to achieve commercially viable embodied intelligence and will actively explore innovations in the core capabilities of robot AI, mobility, and operational technology,” said the firm in a statement.
