Nvidia announced a partnership with Chinese startup Unitree Robotics to create its first publicly available humanoid robot research platform. The system is designed to accelerate innovation in the field by providing researchers with a standardized platform for developing and testing physical AI. The collaboration combines Unitree's H2 humanoid robot body with Nvidia's powerful Jetson Thor computing platform and Isaac GR00T AI models.
The reference design, named H2+, will feature dexterous, five-fingered hands from Singapore-based Sharpa, bringing the robot's total degrees of freedom to 75. This initiative aims to streamline the development workflow for researchers, from data collection to real-world deployment. The announcement coincided with Unitree receiving approval for its IPO application on Shanghai's STAR Market, where it plans to raise over $600 million. Nvidia also stated plans to work with other robot makers in the U.S., Europe, and South Korea.