A knife-wielding intruder is confronted. A car is lifted to free a trapped victim. A pedestrian is pulled from the path of an oncoming vehicle.
The scenes described are not from a Hollywood blockbuster, but a promotional clip for a new “guardian” robot created by the Chinese technology firm Unitree Robotics.
The footage for the H2-X model, released on Wednesday, underscores a wider shift in strategy by the Hangzhou-based firm, as it focuses on finding practical, real-world uses for its athletic robots.
Unitree shot to fame with a series of viral stunts – with its robots performing martial arts routines, dances and somersaults – helping the company raise massive amounts of capital. But China’s robotics industry is now coming under growing pressure to deliver commercial returns.