- Nvidia partners with Unitree for humanoid robot system targeting top global research institutions.
- System combines Unitree H2 robot with Nvidia Jetson Thor and Blackwell GPU technology.
- Nvidia said the aim is to take humanoid robotics beyond big tech and into universities and smaller lab
Nvidia has chosen Chinese robotics company Unitree for its first humanoid robot system aimed at research institutions such as Stanford University and ETH Zurich. The move marks a significant step in Nvidia's push into the emerging field of physical AI and robotics.
The system brings together Unitree's H2 humanoid robot, which stands nearly six feet tall, with Nvidia's Jetson Thor computing platform. The setup also uses Nvidia's Blackwell GPU technology.
Nvidia said the platform is designed as a complete package for robotics research. It includes its humanoid AI models called Isaac GR00T along with simulation tools that allow robots to be trained in virtual environments before being tested in real-world conditions. The system also integrates robotic hands developed by Singapore-based Sharpa.
“Today, we're announcing the Nvidia Isaac Root, a reference humanoid robot, all fully integrated, 25 degrees of freedom on that on each hand made by Sharpa, 31 degrees of freedom on the robot, six feet 150 pounds, just like me,” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said Monday in a keynote speech in Taipei.
“This platform runs the new Thor, and our entire software stack, data generation stack, data simulation stack, the runtime, all integrated into a robot that is designed for everyone to use,” he added.
“We built this for higher education and university researchers, because for them to build this is insanely hard to do.”
The announcement also strengthens Nvidia's presence beyond chips as it moves further into robotics software and platforms through its widely used CUDA ecosystem for AI computing.
Unitree, meanwhile, is preparing for a major public listing. The company plans to raise 4.2 billion yuan ($620 million) through an IPO on Shanghai's STAR Market, with its listing review expected soon. It has also said that more than 40 per cent of its revenue now comes from markets outside China.
Nvidia executive Rev Lebaredian said an upgraded version of the robot, called H2 Plus, will be available in October and can be purchased by anyone.
He said the aim is to move humanoid robotics research beyond large tech companies and make it accessible to universities and smaller labs.
At least four research institutions are expected to use the system, including Ai2 in Seattle, ETH Zurich, Stanford Robotics Center and UC San Diego's Advanced Robotics and Controls Laboratory. No China-based institutions were included in the initial rollout.
Humanoid robotics is still in its early stages with most real-world deployments currently limited to warehouses. Concerns around safety, reliability and privacy continue to slow wider adoption in homes and public spaces.
