In a Shenzhen factory, a humanoid robot named Walker S2 walks to a charging station, removes its own battery and installs a new one in about 3 minutes. UBTECH Robotics claims it’s the world’s first humanoid robot to master autonomous battery swapping.
About human height with a sleek human-like design, Walker S2 moves with agility. Its bipedal legs can navigate through crowded environments – factory floor or warehouse – without needing a flat surface. Its standout feature is it can sense a low or overheating battery and act on its own, go to a charging station, detach the drained battery and fit a new one in.
Battery swapping is not new – electric vehicles and some robots have used hot-swappable systems for years. But these often require human assistance or complex docking setup. Walker S2’s method is fully autonomous, thanks to a dual-battery system that can switch to a backup if the primary battery fails. The robot also decides whether to charge or swap based on task urgency.
Walker S2’s precision engineered limbs can handle delicate tasks like battery removal with ease. Its sensors monitor the surroundings to ensure perfect alignment at the charging station. UBTECH’s software, honed through years of robotics expertise, allows the robot to manage its power needs without human intervention.
UBTECH’s plans go beyond a single robot. With Huawei, the company aims to deploy humanoid robots in China’s factories and homes. Trials at Zeekr’s 5G-enabled smart factory showed multiple robots working together, coordinated by a cloud-based BrainNet system. This allows them to share data and adapt to tasks while navigating through crowded spaces. The battery-swapping feature is key, for 24/7 operation without downtime.
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