A Robot Dog at the AI Impact Summit is soaking up all the attention and has found itself at the centre of a controversy. Reason being Orion” at the booth of Galgotias University, was actually the commercially available Unitree Go 2, a robot developed by China-based Unitree Robotics.
What is Unitree Go 2?
The Unitree Go 2 is a second-generation quadruped robot built by Unitree Robotics. It’s a Chinese company founded by Wang Xingxing, which specialises in high-performance quadrupedal robots.
The Unitree Go 2 was unveiled globally in 2023, as an affordable AI-powered robot dog designed for education, research and robotics development.
The robot is built with a lightweight aluminium and engineering plastic body and weighs roughly 15–16kg. The machine measures around 70 x 31 x 40 cm, which, according to the company, makes it portable enough for lab work and demonstrations while still sturdy enough for outdoor use. It features an IP54 rating, to offer durability against dust and water splashes during outdoor use.
How does it work?
Inside, the Unitree Go 2 is equipped with wide-angle 3D and 4D Ultra-wide LiDAR for mapping and obstacle avoidance, along with cameras for visual perception. The robot uses multiple sensors, including IMUs and joint encoders, to maintain balance and stability while walking, trotting, turning or climbing small steps.
Under the hood, Unitree Go 2 features an 8-core CPU, with the Pro model supporting up to 40 TOPS of AI computing power. It supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth connectivity for remote control and data transfer.
It runs on an 8,000mAh removable battery that promises to offer between one and two hours of runtime, though an optional 15,000mAh battery is available for extended sessions.
What is the Price of Unitree Go 2?
In the Global markets, the entry-level Go 2 Air variant is priced at around US$1,600 which is almost Rs 1.4–1.5 lakh. Whereas the higher-end versions such as the Go 2 Pro go up to about US$2,800 which is around Rs 2.3–2.5 lakh, excluding shipping.
What is the controversy around Unitree Go 2?
The Robot dog Unitree Go 2 was displayed by Noida-based Galgotias University at the AI Impact Summit 2026 as their in-house developed robot dog named “Orion”. However when the Chinese media pointed it out at on ‘X’ the university faced backlash leading to the university issuing out an apology.