Unitree Unveils R1 Starting at 39,900 RMB; Domestic Robots Make Collective Appearance at WAIC; JD.com Leads Investments in Three Robotics Firms | Electromagnetic Weekly Report

1. Unitree Unveils Third Humanoid Robot, Unitree R1

On July 25, Unitree Robotics released its third humanoid robot product, the Unitree R1. The Unitree R1 starts at a price of 39,900 yuan, stands 1.21 meters tall, and weighs only twenty-five kilograms. It features twenty-six joints across its body, including six joints per leg, five joints per arm, and two joints each for the head and waist. Integrated with voice and image multimodal large models, it supports development and customization. In the video, the R1 demonstrated skills such as somersaults, handstands, and boxing.

At the end of the launch video, Unitree outlined its roadmap for humanoid robots, emphasizing that movement diversity is a prerequisite for work—essentially, move first, then perform tasks. Notably, the Unitree R1 did not make an appearance at this year's WAIC.

2. Domestic Robots Make a Collective Appearance at WAIC

The 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) opened in Shanghai on July 26, showcasing a full lineup of domestic robots. Unofficial statistics indicate that over 150 humanoid robots debuted at this edition of WAIC, setting a record for the largest-scale display in China. Robots that struggled with basic mobility last year have undergone significant transformations by this year's conference. After a year of intense market enthusiasm, manufacturers' demonstrations have become more pragmatic, with many scenarios achieving practical implementation.

Among the highlights, Unitree robots engaged in combat matches at the venue, while Zhiyuan's Spirit G1 focused on sorting parcels. Galaxy Robo showcased the capabilities of its robots in retail and sanitation sectors. Magic Atom displayed its entire product family, including the MagicBot Z1 and the wheeled quadruped robot MagicDog W, interacting enthusiastically with attendees. Additionally, Kepler, Leju Robotics, and Cyborg demonstrated applications of their robots in industrial settings.

For more details, please refer to previous articles. After walking 30,000 steps at WAIC, domestic robots were collectively showcased; here is the highlight reel.

3. JD.com Leads Investment in Three Robotics Companies

On July 21, three embodied AI companies—Qianzheng Robotics, Qianxun Intelligence, and Jizhi Dynamics—announced consecutive financing rounds, with a common lead investor appearing behind all of them: JD.com.

Among these, Qianzheng Robotics announced the completion of its Pre-A++ and A1 funding rounds, totaling nearly 1 billion yuan. The Pre-A++ round was invested in by Xinghang Capital, established with XPeng Motors as the cornerstone investor. The A1 round was led by JD.com, with participation from industrial investors such as Puquan Capital (under CATL) and Intime Group, as well as financial investors including Huakong Fund, Guochen Fund (under Dachan Intelligent), and Huangpu River Capital. Additionally, existing shareholders such as Middle Eastern capital, Guoxiang Capital, Honghui Fund, Xunshang Venture Capital, and Baohe Venture Capital increased their investments continuously.

Qianxun Intelligence completed a Pre-A+ funding round of nearly 600 million yuan. The round was led by JD.com, with follow-on investments from well-known institutions such as China Internet Investment Fund, Zhejiang Provincial Sci-Tech Innovation Parent Fund, Huatai Zijin, and Fosun Rui Zheng. Existing shareholders including Prosperity7 Ventures (P7), Shunwei Capital, Huakong Fund, Huafa Group, Qiancheng Capital, Jingya Capital, and Honghui Fund made over-subscribed additional investments. Gaogu Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor.

Jizhi Dynamics completed a new round of financing, strategically led by JD.com.

4. Starry Robotics Unveils Full-Size Bipedal Humanoid Robot, Starry L7

On July 22, Beijing Starry Robotics Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Starry Robotics") released the full-size bipedal humanoid robot, Starry L7.

Starry L7 is currently the first domestic full-size bipedal humanoid robot driven by the VLA model ERA-42, featuring 55 degrees of freedom across its entire body.

In terms of basic parameters, Starry L7 stands 171 cm tall and is equipped with the Starry XHAND1 fully direct-drive, 12-degree-of-freedom five-finger dexterous hand, as well as self-developed joint modules (torque reaching 400 N・m, peak speed 25 rad/s). Its arms can carry a load of 20 kg each, with an arm span diameter of 2.1 meters.

Starry L7 possesses strong motion capabilities: 2 degrees of freedom in the neck, 7 degrees of freedom per arm, 3 degrees of freedom in the waist, 12 degrees of freedom in the hands (capable of 10 clicks per second), and 6 degrees of freedom per leg, achieving a record-breaking running speed of 4 m/s. At the wrist, L7 adopts a ten-axis wrist design, supporting lateral sway ±45° and front-back movement ±90°, breaking the limitation of "fixed operational angles".

In terms of perception, Starry L7 is equipped with binocular cameras, 3D LiDAR, microphone arrays, and speakers, enabling 360° omnidirectional perception and adaptability in complex environments. Regarding computing power, L7 offers 80 TOPS (X86) + 275 TOPS (Orin). For battery life, L7 is equipped with a 60 V 15 Ah battery.

Additionally, Starry L7 adopts a quasi-direct drive solution for joints, combined with a fully self-developed modular skeleton, resolving the contradiction between "strength and flexibility": the quasi-direct drive eliminates traditional reducers, reducing power loss, making the structure more compact, and providing higher force feedback accuracy, allowing real-time perception of impact forces and output adjustment. According to introductions, its core skeleton uses aerospace-grade aluminum alloy and carbon fiber composite materials, capable of withstanding instantaneous explosive pressure while keeping the weight controlled at 65 kg, avoiding the offsetting of power advantages.

Star Motion L7 can perform intelligent sorting, scanning, material handling, and assembly tasks in work scenarios; it can dance street dance, mix drinks, and execute high-explosive actions like 360° spinning jumps in commercial service settings; and it can conduct full-body remote teleoperation and data collection in scientific research environments. Star Motion L7 introduces the world's first "full-size + half-body" switching solution, allowing users to choose between a "whole-machine form" or a "half-body form" based on scenario needs, making its application scenarios extensive.

5. Accelerated Evolution Announces Completion of Over 100 Million RMB A+ Round Financing

On July 24, Beijing Accelerated Evolution Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Accelerated Evolution") announced the completion of an A+ round of financing totaling over 100 million RMB. The investors include the Beijing Robot Industry Development Investment Fund (jointly managed by Shoucheng Holdings and Jingguorui), the Beijing Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund (jointly managed by Shunxi Fund and Qiming Venture Partners), and Bohua Capital. Yibo Capital has served as the exclusive financial advisor for a long time.

Accelerated Evolution was founded in June 2023 by Cheng Hao, a former executive at ByteDance, who holds both bachelor's and master's degrees from Tsinghua University. The company's chief scientist, Zhao Mingguo, is a researcher at the Department of Automation at Tsinghua University and the director of the Brain-inspired Robotics Center at the Robotics Control Laboratory and Unmanned Systems Center. He has focused on legged biomimetic robots, brain-inspired robotics, and system research over the past 20 years.

In terms of products, Accelerated Evolution has launched the bipedal humanoid robot Booster T1, which stands 1.1 meters tall and weighs 29 kilograms. It is equipped with an end-to-end whole-body motion large model capable of performing complex actions such as kicking a soccer ball, doing push-ups, and executing the Ip Man squat. It can also adapt to various complex terrains and serves as a technical verification platform in multiple robotics competitions.

At the recently concluded 2025 RoboCup World Cup, the Tsinghua "Vulcan Team," supported by "Accelerated Evolution," won the championship in the adult-sized humanoid category. This marks the first time in the 28-year history of RoboCup that a Chinese team has won gold in the most prestigious adult division. During the competition, the champion, runner-up, and third-place teams all used Accelerated Evolution products, and Germany's HTWK team used Accelerated Evolution's K1 to win the small-sized category championship.