Ever since I first watched the animated series Transformers Headmaster, I've wanted to have a steerable robot. In China, robotics company Unitree has just shown off a robot that can not only transform but also be steerable.
In a short video shared on YouTube, the GD01 robot can walk on two legs or crawl like Sadako. There is a seat in the cockpit and it can also be controlled using a remote control.
Unitree simply says that the 500-kilogram GD01 is sold at a starting price of $650,000 each. This makes it the first mecha robot to be sold to the public. At first glance, this robot reminds me of the Power Loader from the movie Aliens and the APU from the movie Matrix Revolutions. Many have predicted that the first mecha would be sold by Japan, but it seems that they have been overtaken by China.
