World's first robot boxing event

Good morning, robotics enthusiasts. China’s Unitree has announced plans to livestream the “world’s first” robot boxing event, pitting its humanoids against each other in the ring.

It’s still unclear whether these robots can compete like humans. But with China embracing robot soccer and marathon running, could humanoid sports be the next big thing?

In today’s robotics rundown:

• Unitree’s robot boxing event

• Fourier’s fully open-source humanoid

• MIT’s one-legged jumping bug bot

• Humanoids rely on this tiny screw

• Quick hits on other robotics news

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

UNITREE

🥊 Unitree’s robot boxing event

The Rundown: Chinese robotics powerhouse Unitree Robotics is pitting its robots against each other in a live-streamed humanoid boxing match—”Unitree Iron Fist King: Awakening!”—scheduled to take place in “about a month.”

The details:

• While the specific models have not been confirmed, the contenders are likely to be the quick, agile Unitree G1 or the more powerful flagship H1 model.

• Unitree robots are trained using LAFAN1 motion capture technology, which enables advanced walking, punching, dodging, and even Kung Fu-style moves.

• The company’s promo video did showcase preliminary sparring sessions, but the child-size G1’s moves are nowhere as smooth or fluid as a human fighter.

• China is actively promoting robotics innovations through events like these, including the upcoming World Humanoid Robot Sports Games in Beijing.

Why it matters: How far robot boxing will go remains to be seen, but Unitree is seizing the moment to show off its robots' capabilities. While the recent boxing promo lacks the excitement of earlier Unitree clips, it’s likely part of the company’s steady push to refine its bots ahead of a bigger main event.

FOURIER

🤖 Fourier’s fully open-source humanoid

The Rundown: Chinese robotic company Fourier Intelligence just launched a short, sturdy humanoid—the Fourier N1—that can outrun most humans and is fully open-source and completely replicable without proprietary constraints.

The details:

• The N1 stands 1.3m tall and weighs 38kg, featuring a 23-degree-of-freedom design with a hybrid aluminum alloy/plastic composite frame.

• The robot also comes with Fourier’s FSA 2.0 actuators to achieve a 3.5 m/s running speed and dynamic stability on slopes, stairs, and rough terrain.

• Under the hood, it leverages NVIDIA’s GR00T N1 model for AI-driven tasks like object manipulation and multi-step reasoning.

• Fourier has released all files—including CAD blueprints, bill of materials, assembly guides, and core control software—for the humanoid on GitHub.

Why it matters: While platforms like Bolt, InMoov, and Poppy also offer open-source humanoids, Fourier claims its model is fully commercial-ready, backed by over 1,000 hours of outdoor testing. The release also reflects a broader trend in open robotics: accelerating innovation while pushing against 'black box' dominance by major players.

MIT

🦟 MIT’s one-legged jumping bug bot

The Rundown: MIT researchers unveiled a thumb-sized hopping robot, detailed in Science Advances, that combines the agility of insects with the efficiency of engineered systems—and it can carry 10x its weight.

The details:

• Standing just 5 cm tall and weighing less than a paper clip, the bot can leap 20 cm—four times its height—as four flapping wings help stabilize it mid-air.

• Inspired by grasshoppers, the bot can navigate grass, ice, and uneven terrain—and as per MIT, it outperforms flying robots in energy efficiency by up to 60%.

• It uses just a single elastic leg with a compression spring (similar to a click-pen spring) for energy-efficient hopping.

• Plus, it can withstand midair collisions, perform somersaults, and even land on a hovering drone, hinting at future collaborative applications.

Why it matters: Tiny jumping bots, like those developed by UC Berkeley, EPFL, and Harvard, are having a moment as researchers look to bridge gaps in search and rescue and environmental monitoring. However, MIT’s design stands out as it merges the obstacle-clearing power of flight with ground-based mobility, mimicking real insects.

HUMANOIDS

🔩 Humanoids rely on this tiny screw

The Rundown: Planetary roller screws are becoming the special sauce in humanoid robotics, enabling high-precision, high-load motion control critical for dynamic tasks. Tesla, 1X, and Figure rely on them, but China controls their supply, at least for now.

The details:

• Fast Company reports that the total market for roller screws is $1.8B and is likely to grow 30% annually, with the part set to replace ball screws entirely.

• These screws are emerging as a next-gen alternative to traditional screws, with higher torque density and durability for 10K-plus hours of continuous operation.

• China dominates the supply chain for them, producing 70–80% of global roller screws through firms like Nanjing Process Equipment and Zendamotion.

• Currently, a single planetary roller screw sells for between $1,350 and $2,700, according to JP Morgan (Tesla’s Optimus, for example, uses four screws).

Why it matters: Producing planetary roller screws demands specialized skills held by only a few companies. Chinese manufacturers, who lead in the category, can produce them at 50-70% lower costs than their Western counterparts, giving Chinese robotic firms a competitive edge.

QUICK HITS

📰 Everything else in robotics today

Borg Robotics, based in Detroit, released a first look at its Borg 01 prototype with a wheeled base in a design that supports a bipedal configuration.

Blue Water Autonomy, a new shipbuilding startup, emerged from stealth and announced $14M in a seed round of funding to develop autonomous naval ships.

Beijing’s first robot half marathon in the city’s Daxing District has been postponed to April 19 due to strong winds, as humanoid robots may topple in the harsh weather.

DoorDash is partnering with food delivery robotics company Coco Robotics to offer sidewalk robot delivery for its customers in Los Angeles and Chicago.

Rock band OK Go, famed for wildly inventive videos, produced a new music video, Love, featuring 29 robotic arms from Universal Robots and filmed in one take.

Researchers in Abu Dhabi developed an underwater research robot with 12 flexible arms that spin like bacterial flagella to glide in any direction.

The Indian Premier League introduced a quadruped robotic camera dog, covered in brown fur-like material, as part of its 2025 cricket broadcast team.

Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot dog successfully undertook the dangerous job of reactivating a dormant crane at the Dounreay nuclear site in Scotland.

Waymo robotaxis are now expanding their service to San Francisco’s “main thoroughfare” Market Street, currently banned to private vehicles.

Korea reportedly launched a national alliance called the “K-Humanoid Alliance” to push innovations in humanoids and “position itself as a top player” by 2030.

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See you soon,

Rowan, Jennifer, and Joey—The Rundown’s editorial team