A new video from Unitree Robotics, a leading Chinese robotics company, has recently been turning heads online. Netizens are amazed by the “anti-gravity” mode demonstrated by its humanoid robot, G1.

The robot showcases remarkable resilience in a series of stress tests. Despite being subjected to forceful kicks, shoves, and even being knocked over with a chair, the G1 consistently picks itself up from the floor in under 0.8 seconds each time. This “always-get-back-up” ability makes it resemble a life-sized roly-poly toy.

Moreover, its skills go beyond just staying upright. After recovering, the robot seamlessly resumes its interrupted action sequence, transitioning fluidly into martial arts maneuvers like Tai Chi movements and combat sweeps. It even performs complex mid-air adjustments to land consecutive backflips, showcasing a level of agility that seems to defy gravity — solidifying its status as a veritable “kung fu master.”

Unitree's founder, Wang Xingxing, anticipates that the robot could begin attempting movie stunts as early as next year. In a few years, it might reliably stand in for human stunt performers in high-risk scenes and find applications in stage performances, opening up exciting new avenues for artistic expression.