Humanoid robots are among the technologies that could significantly shape the future of industrial automation in the coming years. However, it is not yet clear in which tasks they will actually offer an advantage over current solutions, and where their benefits will not be sufficient compared to existing technologies. It is precisely these questions that the Liberec-based research organisation VÚTS aims to answer, as it expands its applied research into humanoid robotics.

To this end, the company has acquired a Unitree G1 EDU robot for its laboratories. It will serve as an open development platform for research teams, enabling them to test the potential for deploying humanoid robots in specific industrial tasks. The robot will primarily serve as a research tool for testing new industrial applications.

Humanoid robots are designed to work in environments created for humans. Unlike conventional industrial robots, they can therefore perform tasks that would otherwise require major modifications to workplaces, or which are not yet technically or economically viable to automate. At VÚTS, research teams will test their use, for example, in material handling, operating production and testing equipment, autonomous movement between individual workstations, or in laboratory and production activities.

The research will not focus solely on the robot itself. It will also include the development of control methods, machine vision and the use of artificial intelligence. Researchers will focus, for example, on teaching robots from human demonstrations, motion planning, and safe human–robot collaboration when tackling specific industrial tasks.

This approach is not new at VÚTS. Research teams have long been testing new technologies against specific technical tasks, exploring their capabilities and limitations, and only then, based on the results, seeking their practical applications. They will adopt the same approach to research into humanoid robotics.

“At VÚTS, we do not follow technological trends simply because they are new. Our aim is to ascertain where humanoid robots can genuinely add value. We want to understand their capabilities and limitations and translate the insights gained into solutions that will be useful in our partners’ day-to-day operations. This is precisely the mission of applied research,” says Jaromír Ficek.

The Unitree G1 EDU model – an open development platform designed for research and development – was chosen for the research. It allows for custom programming, the integration of other technologies, work with advanced sensors and the testing of new control algorithms. The system’s openness was the decisive factor in the selection.

Research into humanoid robotics builds on VÚTS’s long-standing work in the fields of robotics, automation, mechatronics and machine vision. The new robot will expand the possibilities for testing these technologies in tasks that were previously difficult to simulate or required human intervention.

The acquisition of the robot is also the first step towards building a broader research infrastructure for humanoid robotics. VÚTS plans to gradually expand its fleet to include further robotic platforms from various manufacturers, so that it can compare their characteristics, develop methods independent of

specific solutions, and objectively verify their use in various industrial applications. Further development will also include research into Physical AI technologies, which integrate robotics, artificial intelligence, machine vision and autonomous control.

“Humanoid robotics will not replace existing industrial automation. We view it as another technology that can open up new possibilities in certain situations. In order to be able to propose truly functional solutions to our partners, we must first thoroughly familiarise ourselves with new technologies, verify them experimentally, and understand both their benefits and limitations. Only then can they be responsibly put into practice. “Our ambition is to establish a centre of excellence at VÚTS that will help industry navigate the rapidly developing field of humanoid robotics and future technologies in physical artificial intelligence,” adds Jaromír Ficek.

With the acquisition of the Unitree G1 EDU robot, VÚTS is expanding its research capabilities into a further technological field. In the year marking the 75th anniversary of its foundation, it is thus, alongside its traditional fields, embarking on research into technologies that may expand the possibilities of industrial automation in the future.