Robots are becoming increasing applicable across a wide range of industry verticals. In the same way that about ten years ago, advances in GPUs plus the ready availability of large datasets fueled AI model development; recent advances in LLMs and agentic AI models capable of reasoning, has ushered in a new dawn of physical AI, embodied by robots that can interact with the real-world and ourselves.

Selecting the right robot is crucial depending on how you intend to use it. This could be simply to perform a repetitive task in a manufacturing environment where a robotic arm would excel. However, when advanced mobility including physical security, inspection or load carrying, an AI-powered quadruped or humanoid robot is required. Although at first glance there doesn't appear to be much difference between similar looking robotic arms, quadruped or humanoid robots, their capability for customisation can be significant. This guide walks you through the range of robots available from Scan, starting with how they move, their ability to perceive their environment and their customisation.

Group of robots

Types of Robot

The first decision when choosing a robot should be how it moves. A robotic arm is usually deployed on a static mount with articulated joints; quadruped robots are four-legged and mimic the movement of animals such as horses or dogs, whereas humanoid robots are two-legged and two-armed and mimic the motion of humans. The choice between the three style comes down to largely what you will be used for, as each has numerous use cases, advantages and disadvantages.

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Humanoid Robots

Humanoid robots, like the name suggests, have an appearance similar to that of a human. They have an upper body free for manipulation, offering dexterity and delicate motor skills, and are also highly moveable with the ability to adjust their centre of gravity. They are very energy efficient especially if performing stationary tasks and are suited to complex tasks and human-robot interaction scenarios, as their behaviour can be made very similar to that of a human.

How articulate a humanoid robot is has a large impact on what it can be used for. Multiple joints, with varying degrees of freedom (DOF) and rotation capability, will allow a robot to move in a much more fluid manner with greater dexterity and flexibility. Torque levels within joint motors will further define its agility, speed and endurance. This is how rapid and / or powerful actions can be and what load-bearing capabilities the robot will have.

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Group of humanoid robots
Robot diagram with labeled components

3D Lidar

LIVOX-MID360

Depth Camera

Intel RealSense D435i

Combined Shoulder Motors

Realisation of 3D Spacial Degrees of Freedom

Arm Degrees of Freedom

Independent Single Arm 4 (Expandable)

Core Motion Module

Maximum Torque at Joints 360 N.m

Leg Degrees of Freedom

Independent Single Leg Hip 3 + Knee 1 + Ankle 1

Mobility

Moving Speed of 3.3 Meters per Second

Hollow Joint Wiring

The Entire Machine has Internally Routed Cable Management Leaving Nothing Externally Visible.

Capabilities

The capabilities of a humanoid robot performing any given task will depend on how it senses its environment. This is achieved by a range of onboard sensors such as 360° depth cameras and 3D or 4D LIDAR with up to 128,000 points per second sampling. This combination allows advanced features such as constructing a point cloud map within a certain area, where the robot can be programmed to move autonomously, as illustrated in the video below.

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This combination of joints, motors and sensors offer a huge degree of flexibility and agility, translating to natural movement, autonomous behaviours and advanced human-robot interaction opportunities.

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Enhanced Programmability

Some Unitree humanoid robots have EDU in their model name, which refers to a variant that features additional capabilities. As opposed to the standard version which have a closed firmware system for basic demonstrations, the EDU models operate via an open platform so developers and researchers have the ability to unlock richer sensor capabilities and greater access control. This is achieved via the use of an NVIDIA Jetson GPU within the robot, the official Unitree SDK and the open-source ROS (robot operating system) FRAMEWORKS such as NVIDIA Isaac and GR00T.

The ROS provides a set of tools, libraries, and conventions to simplify complex robot software development by making it modular, real-time capable, secure, and cross-platform. When combined with the onboard GPU hardware it unlocks programming with C++ and Python languages, enabling features such as motion programming and state feedback. It also offers options to increase the joint DOF, directly impacting manipulation, load-bearing, whole-body control, and coordination. On some humanoid EDU models, optional dextrous hands can be added to allow for highly intricate tasks, using force-position hybrid control, so it is sensitive and reliable, and can simulate human hands to achieve precise operation of objects.

It is perhaps not surprising that the extra features of an EDU humanoid robot model do come at a cost increase, but for advanced projects and development its open-source nature, AI capabilities, greater dexterity, and potential for complex customisation may be worth it.

UNITREE G1

The Unitree G1 humanoid robot is versatile and designed for advanced research, AI development, and industrial applications. With a robust and modular design, The G1 features 23 DOF across its body, six per leg, five per arm, and one in the waist allowing fluid, human-like motions driven by precise, low-inertia motors with dual encoders for accurate feedback and smooth control.

It features stereo cameras, depth sensors, and 3D LiDAR units that provide sharp visual and spatial awareness, enabling it to perceive surroundings in full 360°, map in real-time, and avoid obstacles with precision. The EDU version offers up to 43 DOF and an onboard NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU for AI applications.

Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 are supported as standard, allowing for over the air updates, as well as a manual remote controller to give precise manual control of over the G1.

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Unitree G1 Humanoid Robot

UNITREE G1-D

The Unitree G1-D is a hybrid humanoid robot featuring a standard G1 head, torso and arms, with the legs replaced by either a wheeled stand or a motorised base. The G1-D features up to 19 DOF across its body, seven per arm, two in the waist, one in the column and two in the base allowing fluid, upper-body human-like motions driven by precise, low-inertia motors with dual encoders for accurate feedback and smooth control.

The base model has an HD head camera and two wrist cameras, plus an onboard NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU. The flagship model gains a motorised moveable base with LiDAR and object and collision sensors. Both models can be fitted with a range of optional hands with either a two-finger gripper, three-finger claw or five-finger dextrous hand.

Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 are supported as standard, allowing for over the air updates, as well as a manual remote controller to give precise manual control of over the G1-D.

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Unitree G1 Humanoid Robot

UNITREE H1

The Unitree H1 humanoid robot is versatile and designed for advanced research, AI development, and industrial applications. With a robust and modular design, The H1 features 19 DOF across its body, five per leg, four per arm, and one in the waist allowing fluid, human-like motions driven by precise, low-inertia motors with dual encoders for accurate feedback and smooth control.

It features stereo cameras, depth sensors, and 3D LiDAR units that provide sharp visual and spatial awareness, enabling it to perceive surroundings in full 360°, map in real-time, and avoid obstacles with precision. The H1-2 EDU version offers up to 27 DOF and an onboard NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU for AI applications.

Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 are supported as standard, allowing for over the air updates, as well as a manual remote controller to give precise manual control of over the H1.

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Unitree H1 Humanoid Robot

UNITREE H2

The Unitree H2 humanoid robot is versatile and designed for advanced research, AI development, and industrial applications. With a robust and modular design, The H2 features 31 DOF across its body, six per leg, seven per arm, three in the waist and two in the head allowing fluid, human-like motions driven by precise, low-inertia motors with dual encoders for accurate feedback and smooth control. The H2 also features defined facial features to appear more human-like.

It features stereo cameras, depth sensors, and 3D LiDAR units that provide sharp visual and spatial awareness, enabling it to perceive surroundings in full 360°, map in real-time, and avoid obstacles with precision. The EDU version also offers an onboard NVIDIA Jetson AGX Thor GPU for AI applications.

Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 are supported as standard, allowing for over the air updates, as well as a manual remote controller to give precise manual control of over the H2.

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Unitree H2 Humanoid Robot

UNITREE R1

The Unitree R1 humanoid robot is lightweight, versatile and designed for advanced research, AI development, and industrial applications. With a robust and modular design, The R1 features up to 26 DOF across its body, six per leg, five per arm and two in the waist allowing fluid, human-like motions driven by precise, low-inertia motors with dual encoders for accurate feedback and smooth control.

It features stereo cameras, depth sensors, and 3D LiDAR units that provide sharp visual and spatial awareness, enabling it to perceive surroundings in full 360°, map in real-time, and avoid obstacles with precision. The EDU version also offers up to 40 DOF and an onboard NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU for AI applications.

Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 are supported as standard, allowing for over the air updates, as well as a manual remote controller to give precise manual control of over the R1.

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Unitree R1 Humanoid Robot

UNITREE R1-A

The Unitree R1-A is a hybrid humanoid robot featuring a standard R1 head, torso and arms, with the legs replaced by either a wheeled stand or a motorised base. The R1-A features up to 22 DOF across its body, seven per arm, one in the waist, two in the head and three in the chassis allowing fluid, upper-body human-like motions driven by precise, low-inertia motors with dual encoders for accurate feedback and smooth control.

There are four models, the A5 and A7, which differ in size and DOF, both models have a fixed base. Then there are the A5-D and A7-D, which share the aforementioned size and DOF differences, but have a mobile chassis. Whichever model you chose, a range of optional hands with either a two-finger gripper, three-finger claw or five-finger dextrous hand can be fitted.

Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 are supported as standard, allowing for over the air updates, as well as a manual remote controller to give precise manual control of over the R1-A.

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Unitree R1-A Humanoid Robot

Summary

The below table compares the different Unitree humanoid robots, their use cases, features and attributes, and potential customisation.

G1
Standard		 G1
EDU		 G1-D
Standard		 G1-D
Flagship		 H1
Standard		 H1
EDU (H1-2)		 H2
Standard		 H2
EDU		 R1
AIR		 R1
Standard		 R1
EDU		 R1-A5 R1-A7 R1-A5-D R1-A7-D
Use Case Consumer & Demonstration Research & AI development Industrial Industrial & AI development Consumer & Demonstration Research & AI development Consumer & Demonstration Research & AI development Consumer & Demonstration Consumer & Demonstration Research & AI development Commercial / Industrial Commercial / Industrial Commercial / Industrial Commercial / Industrial
DOF 23 43 17 19 19 27 31 31 20 26 40 15 19 18 22
Battery 9Ah (hot-swap) 9Ah (hot-swap) 9Ah (hot-swap) 30Ah 15Ah 15Ah 15Ah 15Ah 5Ah (hot-swap) 5Ah (hot-swap) 5Ah (hot-swap) Li-on or external power Li-on or external power Li-on or external power Li-on or external power
Battery Life 2h 2h 2h 6h 3h 3h 3h 3h 1h 1h 1h 1.5h 1.5h 1.5h 1.5h
Arm Payload 2kg 3kg 3kg 3kg TBC 7-21kg 7-15kg 7-15kg 2kg 2kg 2kg 2-4kg 2-4kg 2-4kg 2-4kg
Maximum Speed 2m/s 2m/s TBC 1.5m/s 5m/s 5m/s 2m/s 2m/s 3m/s 3m/s 3m/s Static Static Static Static
Compute 8-core CPU 8-core CPU / NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU 8-core CPU / NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU 8-core CPU / NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU 8-core CPU 8-core CPU / NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU 8-core CPU 8-core CPU / NVIDIA Jetson AGX Thor GPU 8-core CPU 8-core CPU 8-core CPU / NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU 2x 8-core CPUs 2x 8-core CPUs 2x 8-core CPUs 2x 8-core CPUs
AI ✖ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✖ ✔ ✖ ✔ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Optional Hands ✖ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✖ ✔ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Dimensions 1320 x 450 x 200mm 1320 x 450 x 200mm 1260 x 500 x 500mm 1260 x 525 x 570mm (1520+2 8 5) 570 220mm (1520+2 8 5) 570 220mm 1820 x 456 x 218mm 1820 x 456 x 218mm 1230 x 357 x 190mm 1230 x 357 x 190mm 1230 x 357 x 190mm 700 x 357 x 190mm 835 x 357 x 190mm 1600 x 520 x 440mm 1600 x 520 x 440mm
Weight 35kg 35kg+ 50kg 80kg 47kg 70kg 70kg 70kg 25kg 29kg 29kg 11kg 13kg 30kg 32kg
For specifications and additional information, please contact our sales team or visit the product pages.
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Quadruped Robots

Quadruped robots, as their name suggests, have four legs so offer a wider base of support, making them more stable and thus more suitable for carrying heavier loads than humanoid robots, especially across uneven surfaces or rough terrain. This makes them ideal for inspection, rescue, agricultural or surveillance uses, however the complexity of four-legged movement consumes more energy.

How articulate a quadruped robot is has a large impact on what it can be used for. Multiple joints, with varying degrees of freedom (DOF) and rotation capability, will allow a robot to move in a much more fluid manner with greater dexterity and flexibility, especially over difficult terrain. Torque levels within joint motors will further define its agility, speed and endurance. This is how rapid and / or powerful actions can be and what load-bearing capabilities the robot will have.

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Group of humanoid robots
Robot A2 diagram with labeled components

Perception Sensors

Industrial-Grade X2

12 High Power-Density Motors

Low Inertia, High-Speed Inner Rotor Motors

Front Camera / Front Light

HD Camera / Bright Illuminating Front Light

Slope Walking Capability

About 45 Degrees

Mobility

Running Speed > 5m/s

Dual Battery Slots

Capable of Housing 2x 9000 mAh Batteries

Mobility

Moving Speed of 3.3 Meters per Second

Powerful Computing Core

8-Core High-Performance CPU

Capabilities

The capabilities of a quadruped robot performing any given task will depend on how it senses its environment. This is achieved by a range of onboard sensors such as 360° depth cameras and 3D or 4D LIDAR with up to 128,000 points per second sampling. This combination allows advanced features such as constructing a point cloud map within a certain area, where the robot can be programmed to move autonomously, as illustrated in the video below.

Video Thumbnail play_circle

This combination of joints, motors and sensors offer a huge degree of flexibility and agility, translating to natural movement, autonomous behaviours and advanced operation in hazardous environments.

Video Thumbnail play_circle

Enhanced Programmability

Some Unitree quadruped robots have EDU or PRO in their model name, which refers to a variant that features additional capabilities. As opposed to the standard version which have a closed firmware system for basic demonstrations, the EDU models operate via an open platform so developers and researchers have the ability to unlock richer sensor capabilities and greater access control. This is achieved via the use of an NVIDIA Jetson GPU within the robot, the official Unitree SDK and the open-source ROS (robot operating system) FRAMEWORKS. Similarly, PRO models usually refer to some enhanced programmability alongside an extra-ruggedised build for industrial or harsh environment uses.

The ROS provides a set of tools, libraries, and conventions to simplify complex robot software development by making it modular, real-time capable, secure, and cross-platform. When combined with the onboard GPU hardware it unlocks programming with C++ and Python languages, enabling features such as motion programming and state feedback. It also offers options to increase the joint DOF, directly impacting manipulation, load-bearing, whole-body control, and coordination. On some quadruped EDU or PRO models, optional extra cameras, power modules and grappling arms can be added and controlled thought the SDK and ROS.

It is perhaps not surprising that the extra features of an EDU or PRO quadruped robot model do come at a cost increase, but for advanced projects and development its open-source nature, AI capabilities, greater dexterity, and potential for complex customisation may be worth it.

UNITREE AS2

The Unitree AS2 is a highly capable, advanced quadruped robot designed for industrial inspections, heavy payload, and long-range operations in difficult conditions. The AS2 features up to 12 DOF across its body allowing fluid motion driven by precise, low-inertia motors with dual encoders for accurate feedback and smooth control. The AS2 offers up to 5x the payload and double the top speed of the Go2, coupled with an IP54 ruggedised build and significantly better battery life too.

The AS2 will be available in three versions – the AIR, PRO and EDU. All feature an HD head camera with the base AIR model getting standard LIDAR and the PRO and EDU models having 4D LIDAR. Additionally, the latter two models offer 4G, GPS and onboard NVIDIA Orin NX GPU, delivering advanced AI features and better programming accessibility via an SDK.

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Unitree AS2 Quadruped Robot

UNITREE A2

The Unitree A2 is a highly agile and robust quadruped robot engineered for demanding inspection, logistics, and research applications. Weighing approximately 37 kg, the A2 delivers industrial-grade mobility and load-handling, with a maximum stationary load capacity of 100kg and dynamic walking payload of up to 25kg.

It features dual ultra-wide 3D LiDAR sensors (front and rear) for complete 360° awareness, paired with a front HD camera that supports AI powered vision and autonomous obstacle avoidance. The A2 can climb steps up to 1 meter high, handle 45° gradients, and reach speeds of up to 5m/s (11.2mph), supported by high-torque actuators for confident all terrain performance.

Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 are supported as standard, with the PRO version featuring an expansion dock for GPS and 4G connectivity. It is built for rugged conditions, with an IP56-rated chassis and IP67-sealed critical components, ensuring dependable operation in temperatures from -20C to 55C.

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Unitree A2 Quadruped Robot

UNITREE B2

The Unitree B2 is a powerful, industrial-grade quadruped robot designed for engineers, researchers, and commercial developers requiring extreme robustness, agility, and intelligent autonomy. Building on a proven quadruped platform, the B2 integrates high-torque actuators, advanced sensing, and rugged hardwaremaking it ideal for demanding field operations, inspection, delivery, and complex terrain navigation. The B2-W model replaces the feet with wheels as an alternative method of locomotion.

It features a 4D LiDAR sensor offering wide-angle 360° x 90° hemispherical coverage with minimal blind spots and a long detection range. The sensor array also includes HD cameras, depth sensors, foot force sensors, enabling superior spatial awareness, obstacle avoidance, and environment mapping even in complex industrial settings. There is also an onboard NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU for AI applications.

Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 are supported as standard, facilitating remote operation, OTA software updates, and seamless integration with industrial networks.

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Unitree B2 Quadruped Robot

UNITREE Go2

The Unitree Go2 is a highly capable, advanced quadruped robot designed for robotics developers, researchers, and commercial users demanding elevated performance and versatility. Available in several versions, the PRO and X models add upgrades in speed, payload capacity, and intelligent features, whilst the EDU and wheeled W models feature onboard NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU for AI applications.

It features a 4D LiDAR sensor offering wide-angle 360° x 90° hemispherical coverage with minimal blind spots and a long detection range. The sensor array also includes HD cameras, depth sensors, foot force sensors, enabling superior spatial awareness, obstacle avoidance, and environment mapping even in complex industrial settings.

Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 are supported as standard, facilitating remote operation, OTA software updates, and seamless integration with industrial networks.

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Unitree GO2 Quadruped Robot

Summary

The below table compares the different Unitree quadruped robots, their use cases, features and attributes, and potential customisation.

AS2
AIR		 AS2
PRO		 AS2
EDU		 A2
Standard		 A2
PRO		 B2
Standard		 B2
W		 Go2
AIR		 Go2
PRO		 Go2
X		 Go2
EDU		 Go2
W
Use Case Commercial / Industrial Commercial / Industrial Commercial / Industrial Consumer & demonstration Research & Industrial Industrial Industrial Consumer & demonstration Consumer & demonstration Consumer & demonstration Research & AI development Research & AI development
Battery Fixed 8Ah Fixed 15Ah Fixed 15Ah Up to 2x 9Ah (hot-swap) Up to 2x 9Ah (hot-swap) 45Ah 45Ah 8Ah 8Ah 8Ah 15Ah 15Ah
Battery Life 2 hours 4 hours 4 hours 2h / 4h 2h / 4h 4-6h 4-6h 1-2h 1-2h 1-2h 2-4h 1.5-3h
Payload 45kg standing / 10kg walking 55kg standing / 13kg walking 65kg standing / 15kg walking 100kg standing / 25kg walking 100kg standing / 25kg walking 120kg standing / 40kg walking 120kg standing / 40kg walking 10kg standing / 7kg walking 10kg standing / 8kg walking 12kg standing / 8kg walking 12kg standing / 8kg walking 12kg standing / 8kg walking
Maximum Speed 3.7m/s 3.7m/s 5.0m/s 5m/s 5m/s 4m/s 4m/s walk / 6m/s wheel 2.5m/s 3.5m/s 3.7m/s 3.7m/s 2.5m/s walk / 5m/s wheel
Compute 8-core CPU 8-core CPU / NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU 8-core CPU / NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU 8-core CPU 8-core CPU / GPS, 4G Expansion dock 8-core CPU / NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU 8-core CPU / NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU TBC 8-core CPU 8-core CPU 8-core CPU / NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU 8-core CPU / NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX GPU
AI ✖ ✔ ✔ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔
Ingress Protection (IP) Rating TBC IP54 IP54 IP56 IP67 IP67 IP67 IP55 IP55 IP55 IP55 IP55
Dimensions 720 x 378 x 457mm 720 x 378 x 457mm 720 x 378 x 457mm 820 x 440 x 570mm 820 x 440 x 570mm 1098 x 450 x 645mm 1098 x 550 x 758mm 700 x 310 x 400mm 700 x 310 x 400mm 700 x 310 x 400mm 700 x 310 x 400mm 700 x 430 x 500mm
Weight 18kg 18kg 18kg 37kg 37kg 60kg 85kg 15kg 15kg 15kg 15kg 18kg
For specifications and additional information, please contact our sales team or visit the product pages.
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Robotic Arms

Robotic arms, as their name suggests, are articulated arms isolated from any manoeuvrable body seen in humanoid or quadruped robots. They still have various degrees of freedom (DOF) and rotational capability, but will usually be positioned on a fixed mount. Robotic arms are ideal for tasks in a repetitive environment such as monitoring or manufacturing as the movable arm allows for smart camera mounting, adding a tool assembly such as a drill or welding apparatus, or dextrous manipulation of objects via electric grippers.

How versatile a robotic arm is has a large impact on what it can be used for. This versatility relates to speed, response and accuracy, plus the force it can apply within these parameters.

Dobot Nova 2 robotic arm

Integrated Arm Joints

The latest integrated arm joints are capable of speeds up to 223° per second, which allow for a wider range of application scenarios. Faster speeds also reduce production cycle times of many tasks like material handling, potentially leading to cost savings.

High Bandwidth Ethernet Connections

Many robotic arms feature high-bandwidth Ethernet connections to the joint servo, resulting in a joint response time in the millisecond range. This capability greatly enhances the arms movement speed and trajectory smoothness, enabling it to accurately and efficiently carry out a wide range of tasks.

Dobot Nova 2 Ethernet

Integrated Arm Calibration

Robotic arms are extensively calibrated with a laser calibration system, ensuring an absolute positioning accuracy of under half a millimetre. This exceptional precision enables the arm to effortlessly tackle high-precision production tasks, thereby enhancing consistency and quality assurance in the production process.

SafeSkin

SafeSkin is available on select models, using a non-contact collision detection system with a soft silicone wrapping to detect potential collisions before they happen, allowing for safer collaboration between humans and robots.

Sensors

Sensors within the head of the arm enable various forces to be applied and will dictate the precision or delicacy with which it can operate. The head of the arm will often feature a status light for easy verification and a universal I/O port for attaching extra components.

Dobot Sensors

Robot Arms Use Cases

Couple these features with options including ingress protection, and collision detection sensors for safe human-robot interaction, the scenarios where robotic arms can be deployed is incredibly varied including factories, manufacturing facilities, healthcare environments and logistics.

Dobot Assembly

Assembly

Dobot Welding

Welding

Dobot Healthcare

Healthcare

Dobot Warehouse

Warehouse

UNITREE D1 Series

The Unitree D1 robotic arm is distinguished by its ultra-high degrees of freedom control, featuring six joints and a gripper as standard. It provides great flexibility in spatial movement, covering a wide range of motion, and can be connected to external devices such as cameras, combined with different scene applications to achieve diverse functions and gameplay.

It can also be attached to various Unitree quadruped robots, offering enhanced functionality and flexibility.

Equipped with position control, velocity control, and force control functions, suitable for application development and learning tasks in a wide range of scenarios.

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Unitree D1

UNITREE Z1 Series

The Unitree Z1 robotic arm is distinguished by its flexibility, featuring six joints and a range of grippers, cameras and accessories. It provides great flexibility in spatial movement, covering a wide range of motion, and can be connected to selected Unitree quadruped robots, offering enhanced functionality and flexibility.

Equipped with position control, velocity control, and force control functions, suitable for application development and learning tasks in a wide range of scenarios.

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Unitree Z1

DOBOT MAGICIAN SERIES

The DOBOT Magician series is a line of desktop robotic arms designed for education, research, and light industrial applications. The multifunctional, 4- or 6-axis robot arm can perform tasks such as 3D printing, drawing, writing and laser cutting.

The robotic arm can be equipped with different end tools to perform a variety of tasks, including 3D printing, writing, drawing, laser engraving and more. They are simple to use, with features including graphical programming, multiple control methods via PC, app or voice control.

This series is ideal for teaching concepts such as automation, control systems, and robotics in a safe and accessible way.

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Dobot Magician Series

DOBOT NOVA SERIES

The DOBOT Nova series is a line of collaborative robots designed for industrial application including such as electronic assembly; and commercial applications, such as retail and restaurants. They feature a lightweight, compact design, multiple built-in safety features and user-friendly programming, making them suitable for a variety of tasks and easy for beginners to operate.

The two models - Nova 2 and Nova 5 - have payloads of 2kg and 5kg, respectively. They are designed for automation with features such as high repeatability and adjustable collision detection.

Their design is 20% smaller and 33-44% lighter than comparable collaborative robots, requiring only a minimal workspace of 1 m².

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Dobot Nova Series

DOBOT CR 30H SERIES

The DOBOT CR 30H series is a line of 6-axis collaborative robots designed for fast and stable automation in various industries. These robots are built to be safe, easy to deploy, and efficient, with speed up to 300°/sec, payloads up to 30kg and a repeatability of up to ±0.05mm. They are ideal for tasks that require high speed, at the cost of slightly lower precision.

The robots are built to work alongside humans and are equipped with advanced safety features, including built-in sensors and collision detection, with a high safety standard.

The robots can be equipped with various accessories such as smart cameras and advanced grippers to meet diverse production needs.

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Dobot CR 30H Series

DOBOT CRS SERIES

The DOBOT CRS series is a line of collaborative robots designed for safe and efficient human-robot interaction. This is achieved by SafeSkin technology, which uses a non-contact collision detection system with a soft silicone wrapping to detect potential collisions before they happen, allowing for safer collaboration between humans and robots.

These range of CRS models are built for speed and accuracy, with high repeatability and responsive movement. They are also faster, more accurate, and easier to program than previous versions, making them suitable for industries such as automotive, electronics, and healthcare.

The robots can be equipped with various accessories like smart cameras and advanced grippers to meet diverse production needs.

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Dobot CRS Series

DOBOT CRA SERIES

The DOBOT CRA series is a new generation of collaborative robots designed for safe human-robot interaction in industrial and smart manufacturing applications. They feature high-performance integrated joints for faster cycle times, various payloads, and advanced safety features such as virtual boundaries and real-time collision detection. The series features scalability, flexibility, and enhanced safety with built-in safety controllers and electromagnetic brakes that engage during a power outage.

The series is designed for a range of applications with payloads from 3kg to 20kg, and features high expandability with up to 24 I/O ports. The range also includes IP68 waterproof and dustproof rated models for harsh environments.

The robots can be equipped with various accessories such as smart cameras and advanced grippers to meet diverse production needs.

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Dobot CRA Series

Summary

The below table compares different DOBOT robotic arms, their use cases, load-bearing, and features and attributes.

Unitree D1
Series		 Unitree Z1
Series		 DOBOT Magician
Series		 DOBOT Nova
Series		 DOBOT CR 30H
Series		 DOBOT CRS
Series		 DOBOT CRA
Series
Use Case Research / Education Research / Industrial Education Retail / Healthcare Industrial Industrial / Healthcare Industrial / Healthcare
Weight 2.4kg 4.5kg 11-14kg 11-14kg 98.5kg 16.5-40kg 16.5-70kg
Payload 500g 2-3kg 250-750g 2-5kg 30kg 3-10kg 3-20kg
Maximum Joint Speed TBC 180°/sec 480°/sec (250g load) 100°/sec 300°/sec 223°/sec 223°/sec
Working Radius 670mm 740mm 340-450mm 625-850mm 1,800mm 620-1,300mm 620-1700mm
Precision ±0.1 mm ±0.1 mm ±0.02 mm ±0.02 mm ±0.05mm 0.02-0.03mm ±0.01 mm
Collision Detection ✖ ✔ ✖ ✖ ✔ (T model) ✔ ✔
Safeskin ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔
Force Control ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ (F models)
IP Rating ✖ ✖ ✖ IP54 IP20 (IP54 option) IP54 IP54 (IP68 option)
For specifications and additional information, please contact our sales team or visit the product pages.
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Physical AI

We mentioned physical AI at the start of this guide, but let’s recap. Physical systems (humanoid robots, quadruped robots or robotic arms) capture and process information from their sensors and actuators to perform their functions. However, if you want to introduce any degree of AI automation and learning, especially in complex environments then the data and processing demands demand a whole other level of performance. This is often referred to as the three-computer problem, or the three-computer solution, as three distinct levels of compute are required to achieve this - NVIDIA DGX, NVIDIA Omniverse and NVIDIA Jetson.

Physical AI & Robotics Solutions

To explain why AI robotic systems are much more complicated than other types of AI model, imagine an algorithm designed to recognise five types of cooking utensil. This requires training a model to recognise cooking utensils and a camera sensor to see the various types. Now add in the ability to pick up these utensils and use them - the camera element now needs the addition of robotic arms and further training of how each utensil is used.

Now add mobility so the robot can recognise, pick up and use the utensil, but only in the correct kitchen location - this adds more training on processes plus a spatial understanding of its environment. Finally, make the robot work in a crowded kitchen where it may be obstructed or knocked off balance mid-task - the training now needs to include how to negotiate obstacles and how to recover an interrupted task, without causing injury as some collisions may be with softer humans rather than harder surfaces.

You can see how the additional layers of complexity at each stage require a whole new level of training data and parameters to give the robot any chance of success. This is where the three computers come in - firstly, powerful multi-GPU DGX SYSTEMS are required to train datasets so large to scale and then fine-tune the model. Next, RTX PRO SERVERS - designed for advanced visualisation tasks - support the OMNIVERSE real-time collaboration cloud platform.

This enables simulation of the environments and human-robot interactions, so all scenarios can be tried and tested. Most importantly, mistakes and errors can be ironed out in the Omniverse digital twin so costly real-world mishaps can be avoided. Finally, and as mentioned above in the humanoid and quadruped robot tabs, onboard JETSON modules allow the finalised model to be deployed directly on the robot so it can perform as intended.

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Scan, as a leading Unitree, DOBOT and NVIDIA Elite Partner, and the UK’s only NVIDIA DGX-certified Managed Services Partner, is ideally placed to be your trusted advisor on all your robotics and AI needs. Our expertise spans edge AI, sensor integration, autonomous navigation, and real-time inference — backed by a full ecosystem of hardware, software, simulation tools, and consultancy. We work closely with engineers, researchers, and innovators to deliver robotics solutions that are technically robust, commercially viable, and ready for the environments they’ll operate in.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about humanoid robots, quadruped robots and robotic arms.

A humanoid robot is a machine designed to resemble the human body, typically featuring a head, torso, arms, and legs. These robots use artificial intelligence, sensors, cameras, and mobility systems to interact with people and perform tasks in human environments.

Capabilities vary by model, but common functions include conversing with users through voice interaction, providing customer service or reception support, performing household assistance tasks, monitoring environments for safety and security, delivering information and guidance, supporting education and training activities and assisting with light industrial or warehouse tasks.

Prices range significantly depending on capabilities - an entry-level educational robot starts at around £20,000 to £30,000, whilst high-end AI-enabled models cost anywhere from £30,000 to over £100,000. Additional costs may include optional GPUs, software subscriptions, maintenance, training, and support packages.

A quadruped robot is a four-legged robotic platform designed to move in a way similar to animals such as dogs, wolves, or goats. These robots use advanced sensors, AI, and mobility systems to navigate challenging terrain and perform inspections, monitoring, and autonomous tasks.

Capabilities vary by model, but common functions include conducting remote inspections, patrolling facilities and sites autonomously, capturing video, thermal, and environmental data, navigating stairs and uneven terrain, carrying payloads and equipment, supporting search and rescue operations and assisting with security and surveillance tasks.

Prices range significantly depending on capabilities - an entry-level educational robot starts at around £10,000 to £20,000, whilst high-end AI-enabled models cost anywhere from £20,000 to over £100,000. Additional costs may include optional GPUs, software subscriptions, maintenance, training, and support packages.

A robotic arm is an automated machine designed to replicate the movement and functionality of a human arm. Typically featuring multiple joints and axes of movement, robotic arms can perform tasks such as picking, placing, welding, assembling, packaging, and inspecting products with high precision and consistency.

The capabilities of a robotic arm depend on its design and tooling, but common applications include pick-and-place operations, assembly and manufacturing, welding and soldering, packaging and palletising, quality inspection, material handling, painting and finishing and laboratory automation.

Costs vary significantly depending on payload, reach, precision, and application requirements:

  • Desktop and educational robotic arms: £1,000 to £10,000
  • Collaborative robots (cobots): £10,000 to £30,000+
  • Industrial robotic arms: £25,000 to £100,000+

Additional expenses may include end-of-arm tooling, safety systems, software licences, integration services, and employee training.

Many features, particularly AI-powered functions such as natural language processing and cloud-based updates, require Internet connectivity. Some robots can perform basic tasks offline, but functionality may be reduced.

Battery life varies by model and workload. Most robots operate between 2 and 4 hours on a single charge, although some units may feature multiple battery options.

Key factors include:

  • Intended use case
  • Mobility and navigation capabilities
  • AI and conversational features
  • Battery life
  • Integration with existing systems
  • Maintenance requirements
  • Data privacy and security
  • Vendor reputation and support services
  • Total cost of ownership

While wheeled robots are often more cost-effective on smooth surfaces, legged robots excel in environments that include stairs, uneven ground, gravel and loose surfaces or industrial or outdoor sites with obstacles or debris. Their legged design allows them to access locations that may be difficult or impossible for wheeled platforms.

Many platforms support modular payloads, including HD cameras, 360-degree cameras, thermal imaging cameras, LiDAR scanners, communication devices, load carrying baskets and grappling arms.

Robots with embedded GPUs use machine learning and AI models that enable them to improve performance through software updates and data analysis. However, the extent of learning depends on the platform and the manufacturer's approach to AI development.

Reputable manufacturers incorporate safety features such as obstacle detection, emergency stop functions, collision avoidance systems, and speed limitations. Buyers should ensure the robot meets relevant safety standards for its intended environment.

Routine maintenance may include software and firmware updates, sensor calibration, battery health monitoring, mechanical inspections and cleaning external components.

Robots are generally best suited to repetitive, predictable, or physically demanding tasks. Most organisations use them to augment human workers rather than fully replace them, allowing employees to focus on higher-value activities.

Robots are increasingly being used in manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, retail, hospitality, healthcare, education, research and development and security and surveillance.

With proper maintenance, a commercial humanoid robot may remain operational for 5 to 10 years or more. Software support, spare parts availability, and manufacturer commitment are important factors that can impact longevity.

Robotic arms are widely used across manufacturing, automotive, electronics, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, logistics and warehousing, aerospace and research and education.

A traditional industrial robotic arm typically operates within a safety cage and is designed for speed, precision, and heavy-duty tasks. A collaborative robot, or cobot, is designed to work safely alongside people and often features force sensing, collision detection, and easier programming capabilities.

When comparing systems, consider:

  • Payload capacity
  • Reach and working envelope
  • Speed and cycle times
  • Accuracy and repeatability
  • Programming requirements
  • Available tooling options
  • Integration with existing equipment
  • Safety requirements
  • Future scalability

Payload capacity refers to the maximum weight a robotic arm can safely lift and manipulate. This includes not only the product being handled but also the weight of any grippers, sensors, or other tools attached to the arm.

Repeatability measures a robot's ability to return to the same position repeatedly without variation. Higher repeatability is essential in applications such as assembly, machining, welding, and quality control, where precision directly impacts product quality.

Not always. While some industrial robots require advanced programming expertise, many newer systems offer drag-and-drop programming, graphical user interfaces, hand-guided teaching and low-code or no-code programming tools. This makes automation more accessible to businesses with limited robotics experience.

End-of-arm tooling refers to the attachment fitted to the robot's wrist. Common options include vacuum grippers, parallel grippers, soft grippers, welding torches, screw-driving tools, dispensing systems and inspection cameras. The best choice depends on the task and materials being handled.

Robotic arms are generally reliable and require relatively little maintenance. Typical tasks include software updates, lubrication of moving parts, inspection of cables and joints, calibration checks and replacement of worn components. Many manufacturers also offer preventative maintenance programmes.

Yes. Most modern robotic arms can be integrated with production lines, conveyors, CNC machines, warehouse systems, sensors, and enterprise software platforms. Integration capabilities should be assessed before purchase to ensure compatibility.

Robotic arms can operate continuously when properly maintained and supported by suitable workflows. Many organisations use robotic arms across multiple shifts to maximise productivity and reduce operational bottlenecks.

With regular maintenance and proper use, industrial robotic arms can remain productive for 10 to 20 years or more. Software support, spare parts availability, and upgrade options should be considered when evaluating long-term value.

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