This kung fu robot video makes it look like the uprising has already started

Kungfu BOT GAME

Folks often joke about the so-called “robot uprising,” but a new video of Unitree’s advanced G1 robot pulling some kung fu moves could well wipe the smile off their faces.

Shared on Tuesday, the 15-second clip shows a baton-wielding human retreating from a robot that then kicks the baton clean out of his hand. Let’s just say that again: a baton-wielding human retreating from a robot.

If that’s not enough to cause your face to start twitching, the footage is not sped up in any way, with the robot moving effortlessly along like a kind of plastic-covered Bruce Lee.

It was only a week ago that Unitree Robotics posted a video of G1 performing an array of kung fu moves, but this latest clip shows it actually taking on a human. And winning.

At the end of its videos, Unitree is even adding the message: “We kindly request that all users refrain from making any dangerous modifications, or using the robot in a hazardous manner.” A hazardous manner? What, like programming them to head for military installations and communication hubs? Well, fingers crossed, eh.

The robot’s impressively nimble movement has been made possible by a new algorithm created by Unitree. It also comes with 3D LiDAR and depth cameras for environmental perception and navigation.

The Chinese company showcased the latest version of its G1 humanoid robot at CES 2025 in January.

The base model of the G1 is priced at $16,000, making it relatively affordable compared to other humanoid robots. The Figure 02 humanoid robot, for example, comes with a $59,000 price tag, while Tesla’s Optimus, also known as the Tesla Bot, could cost as much as $30,000.

Unitree is forecasting a breakthrough in humanoid robotic capabilities some time next year, with more clear-cut commercial uses emerging in the next five years. While humanoid robots have come a long way in recent years, experts suggest that broad applications, which presumably include some form of robot takeover, are likely to be at least a few years away. Which is good to know.

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Apple may have an idea to fix the Magic Mouse for gamers, but I’m not convinced

Mac gaming is finally starting to undergo something of a renaissance, and things are looking up for people who prefer to play their games on an Apple computer. Apple’s latest M4 chips offer respectable gaming performance, as our Mac Studio and MacBook Air reviews have shown, while an increasing number of AAA titles are coming to the Mac — including one of the best PC games in the form of Cyberpunk 2077.

But as I’ve written before, there’s one key problem that no one seems to be talking about: the Magic Mouse.

The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus laptop drops below $1,000 with this $300 discount

If you want to buy a powerful device with a huge discount from laptop deals, you’re going to want to set your sights on this offer for the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus. This configuration, which usually sells for $1,100, is on sale from Dell for only $800, for savings of $300 as part of a clearance sale. There’s a chance that the remaining stocks are already running low though, so if you want to take advantage of this bargain, we highly recommend completing your purchase as soon as you can.

Why you should buy the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus laptop

The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus only received a score of 3 out of 5 stars in our review, primarily because you’re only getting an IPS display, whereas other brands are already offering laptops with OLED screens at a similar price. However, with Dell’s discount, this is less of a deal-breaker, especially since the 14-inch IPS screen is actually solid with 2.8K resolution. The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus also comes with a sleek but conservative design, and its build quality is pretty good, so it’s a good choice for the laptop equivalent of a daily driver.

Digital doppelgangers to appear in H&M ads

Next time you spot an H&M ad, take a closer look to see if it features an AI-generated model.

The clothing giant has revealed that it will start using AI to generate digital replicas of 30 of its models for use in ads and social media posts — provided they give their permission, that is.