The humanoid robot industry is on the rise and gaining more and more global attention. The public dreams of the day when autonomous humanoid machines will be so advanced that they become indistinguishable from humans by mere sight. Although progress is gradual, the future is approaching.
One of the companies leading this revolution is EngineAI Robotics, based in Shenzhen, China. In December 2024, the company unveiled the PM01, described as a “universal intelligent robot, lightweight, highly dynamic, and open-source.” This innovation reinforces the company’s commitment to creating accessible and advanced solutions.
Earlier, in October, EngineAI introduced the SE01, a humanoid equipped with a neural network and a “natural” gait (see the video below). Since December 24, 2024, the SE01 has been available for global sales in two versions: commercial and educational. Both are being offered at a promotional price of 88,000 yuan (approximately US$ 12,000) until March 31, 2025. During this period, buyers of the commercial version will be entitled to free upgrades to the educational version.
This competitive price is significantly lower than the estimates given by Tesla CEO Elon Musk for the Optimus robot, which is expected to cost between US$ 20,000 and US$ 30,000. Despite this, most humanoid robots, including the SE01, still have limited capabilities, highlighting that the market is only beginning to explore the full potential of this revolutionary technology.
The PM01 Humanoid
The PM01 stands at 1.38 meters (4.5 feet) tall and weighs approximately 40 kg (88 lb), featuring 24 degrees of freedom (DoF) and achieving a movement speed of 2 m/s (4.4 mph). Its 320-degree waist rotation allows for complex movements, complemented by both mechanical and natural walking modes, as stated by EngineAI Robotics.
“Advanced motion capture technology and an end-to-end neural network enable the robot to accurately replicate human movements, making it highly adaptable to various environments,” the company stated.
Compared to its predecessor, the PM01 offers significant improvements, including enhanced open-source capabilities, greater compatibility, superior dynamic performance, increased power, and hardware stability, according to EngineAI. The robot’s computing platform is based on x86 architecture and high-performance NVIDIA Jetson Orin modules, which support the deployment of cross-platform algorithms and application development.
The PM01’s control interface was inspired by Iron Man, noted EngineAI. The main screen integrates multiple functions, allowing users to issue commands and access information easily and intuitively.
Earlier this year, China’s National Local Joint Humanoid Robot Innovation Center launched a data-sharing initiative to support local developers. Additionally, the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has set a target for mass production of humanoid robots by 2025.
Robot walking video sparks debates on social media
Indeed, this marvel of robotics not only impressed but also sparked intense debates on social media. All of this thanks to a video shared by a user on the X platform, showing the PM01 walking down the street alongside a human.
In the video, the robot is seen walking next to a man, possibly an engineer from the company, while bystanders film and take photos, visibly amazed by the scene.
Allegedly shot in Shenzhen. Is this real? Can someone verify? I've seen this company posting very natural humanoid walking gaits a couple months ago. These days, it's hard to tell CGI vs Sora vs real … pic.twitter.com/j2D7CEALvq
— Jim Fan (@DrJimFan) January 8, 2025The video has already garnered over 1.8 million views and sparked debates, with many claiming it was CGI, mainly due to the naturalness of the robot’s walk, which closely resembles human movement.
Many speculated that the video might have been generated by an AI program, like Sora, especially because the footage shows three coffee shops side by side.
I don't know but that shopping center could use a coffee shop. lol pic.twitter.com/lmkZ2DRJ6z
— A. Burke (@snafu128) January 9, 2025However, the video seems to be real. The same user who shared the video claimed to have confirmed, through reliable sources, that it was legitimate.
Additionally, another user responded to the post with an additional video, showing a moment when the man walking alongside the robot catches it to prevent it from falling after a stumble. This demonstrates that the video is genuine and that we are still in the process of improving this technology.
But its also not perfect. pic.twitter.com/YYOkX385Ro
— Simulately (@simulately12492) January 9, 2025However, the confirmation that the video is indeed real came directly from the Chinese company itself. On its LinkedIn account, the company posted the video, providing information about the location where it was filmed, along with other details:
“Location: EngineAI Office Campus in ShenzhenWeather: On a sunny dayActivity: Conduct a long-distance walking test (and ‘breathe’ the fresh air) Outcome: Attracted a lot of attention”.
It seems that we truly have an impressive humanoid robot in operation, reflecting the effort of robotics technology companies to develop and implement new technologies competently, day by day. Who knows, in the future, just like in the movie Bicentennial Man or even in The Terminator, we might see real “human robots” walking down the streets.
