On New Year's Eve, before the conclusion of the 2026 Lunar New Year Gala, we met Unitree Technology founder Wang Xingxing at a robot training base in Beijing. He had just returned from the main broadcasting station's recording venue.
Despite the late hour approaching midnight, Wang remained enthusiastic. He expressed great satisfaction with the performance of Unitree's program "Martial BOT" that evening. When discussing technical details, the typically introverted founder became animated, using body movements to demonstrate robot combat maneuvers with heightened excitement.
"After the performance, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders," Wang shared. Although this marked Unitree's third appearance at the gala, he still felt significant pressure. "We couldn't just repeat last year's dance performance - that wouldn't present enough challenge," he explained.
The effort proved worthwhile. In the "Martial BOT" program, 24 Unitree G1 robots engaged in combat sequences with human actors, executing complex maneuvers including parkour-style table flips, consecutive one-legged backflips, wall-running backflips, and 720-degree spins.
Wang revealed that to surpass last year's performance, the team deliberately chose martial arts as it better showcases robotic movements. Unitree collaborated with gala directors to research martial arts techniques worldwide, ultimately selecting several dozen representative moves. This fluid martial arts presentation introduced compounded technical challenges.
Observers could note significant improvements from 2025's "Yangge BOT" to 2026's "Martial BOT." While previous robots moved slowly between positions, the new version features rapid repositioning capabilities, achieving speeds up to 4 meters per second.
The increased robot count also demanded advanced coordination systems. Unitree developed swarm control technology enabling the 24 robots to navigate the stage autonomously using onboard sensors. The robots can automatically readjust their positions when martial arts movements cause displacement.
Wang emphasized that "Martial BOT" represents more than mere performance - the underlying technologies have practical applications. The swarm control and rapid positioning capabilities can transfer to industrial settings, facilitating large-scale robotic operations.
Following its 2025 gala appearance, Unitree pioneered commercial performances as a revenue stream for the robotics industry. For 2026, Wang plans to expand beyond current applications (consumer products, research/education, commercial shows) into industrial and commercial service sectors.
Wang projected Unitree's 2026 shipment volume could reach 10,000-20,000 units. "The humanoid robot market's growth hinges on technological maturity. As technology becomes more valuable, the market gradually expands," he noted.
Key interview excerpts:
Regarding performance pressure: "Our greatest challenge was surpassing last year's show. We spent November through January selecting martial arts moves, choreographing sequences, and fine-tuning motions to match musical timing and human-robot interaction."
On technical breakthroughs: "We achieved several world firsts for humanoid robots. The rapid repositioning capability developed for this performance reaches 4m/s speeds. We also perfected challenging moves like two-step wall running through prolonged optimization."
About industry competition: "While more companies enter the field, Unitree's main competitor remains ourselves. We focus on exceeding our own technological and performance standards rather than external benchmarks."
Regarding commercialization: "Beyond stage performances, we're advancing practical applications. While customized programming works for specific scenarios, universal adaptation requires more advanced embodied AI. We anticipate meaningful deployment in guided tours and structured industrial environments within 1-2 years."
On market outlook: "Humanoid robot shipments should reach tens of thousands globally in 2026. Market growth depends on continuous technological progress - without new advancements, growth projections would be less optimistic."