Nvidia, the renowned AI chip company, is broadening its collaboration with humanoid robot manufacturers across the globe, including those in the United States, Europe, and South Korea. This expansion comes in addition to its existing partnership with China’s Unitree, a leading figure in the humanoid robotics industry.
Global Partnerships in Robotics
Following a keynote address by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in Taiwan, the company announced its plans to work with Unitree to provide a standardized version of the H2 robot for academic research. The robot’s body will be manufactured by Unitree, its hands by Singapore-based Sharpa, and its computing systems will be powered by Nvidia’s technology. Esteemed institutions such as Stanford University and the University of California San Diego are among those planning to utilize these robots for research purposes.
Unitree, known for its innovative dancing robots showcased at China’s Spring Festival gala, is currently pursuing a public listing in China. However, the company’s ties to the Chinese government and military have raised concerns among U.S. lawmakers, leading to a proposed bill that would restrict the use of Unitree’s robots by researchers receiving U.S. government funding.
Focus on Cybersecurity
Nvidia executives have emphasized that their collaboration with Unitree aims to enhance the cybersecurity of the robots used in research. By integrating Nvidia’s ‘Blackwell’ chips into Unitree’s robots, the company intends to apply the same security measures used in data center servers. These measures, known as secure boot and confidential computing, are designed to prevent the execution of malicious code and unauthorized data transfer from the robots.
While Nvidia has not disclosed the names of its new partners in the U.S., South Korea, and Europe, the company is committed to pursuing similar initiatives with robotics firms outside of China. This strategic move reflects Nvidia’s dedication to advancing robotics technology while addressing cybersecurity concerns.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
