World's first manned transformation robot is unveiled

A Chinese robotics firm has truly bridged the gap between science fiction and reality, after unveiling the world’s first manned ‘mecha’. The GD01, developed by Unitree Robotics, weighs 500kg with a pilot on board and is capable of transitioning between bipedal walking and four-legged mode. Developed for civilian transport, the high-strength alloy machine features a ‘cockpit’ where someone can sit and control the huge robot. A demonstration video shows Unitree’s CEO Wang Xingxing climbing into the torso of the GD01 before it starts to move. The machine is steered to walk like a humanoid robot and knock over a brick wall with its hand before ‘shifting’ into a four-legged crawl.