{"id":"78b6b6cb-bc9e-4de7-9a6e-4e8af7d32204","slug":"unitree-g1-kicks-engineer-groin-2025-12-24","kind":"injury","headline":"Unitree G1 humanoid kicked engineer in the groin during motion-learning test","summary":"A Unitree G1 humanoid robot accidentally kicked a male engineer in the groin during a synchronized combat-style motion-learning test in Shanghai, China. Footage of the December 24 incident spread widely on social media. The engineer was mirroring the robot as part of a motion training exercise when the robots leg made contact.","occurredAt":"2025-12-24T00:00:00.000Z","reviewStatus":"reviewed","modelId":"3c593db9-6102-4c29-9be6-172887565abe","deploymentId":"4015074e-5607-4bf7-b8ad-b0200955d76d","companyId":null,"dataCenterId":null,"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"none","reviewNote":null,"severity":"minor","rootCauseCategory":null,"rootCauseDetail":null,"affectedUnitsCount":null,"affectedUnitsBasis":null,"remediationStatus":null,"regulatoryAction":"none","regulatoryBody":"none","propertyDamageEstimateUsd":null,"damageEstimateBasis":null,"bodilyInjurySeverity":null,"fatalityCount":null,"lossCostClass":null,"sourceQualityTier":null,"oshaRecordable":null,"oshaCaseNumber":null,"rootCauseDisclosed":null,"publicDisclosureDate":null,"insuranceClaimPublic":null,"formFactor":"humanoid","latitude":{"s":1,"e":1,"d":[35,5494000]},"longitude":{"s":1,"e":2,"d":[139,7798000]},"autonomyClass":null,"legalOutcomeClass":"unknown","createdAt":"2026-07-15T09:17:24.120Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-09T05:29:22.113Z","model":{"id":"3c593db9-6102-4c29-9be6-172887565abe","companyId":"e0eddc78-26bb-43ae-bfc5-422a414ebd99","modelName":"Unitree G1","slug":"unitree-g1","description":"Unitree's compact full-size humanoid, introduced as a notably low-cost research-grade bipedal platform (base pricing widely reported around $13,500-$16,000). Roughly 130 cm tall, ~35 kg, with a configurable 23-43 degrees of freedom, 3D LiDAR, depth cameras, and athletic capabilities. Widely adopted by universities and labs.","formFactor":"humanoid","industryVertical":null,"environment":null,"maturityStage":"commercial","lifecycleState":"active","supersededByModelId":null,"specs":{"dof":"23-43","mass_kg":35,"dof_range":"23-43","height_cm":130,"runtime_h":"2","weight_kg":"35","drive_mode":"bipedal","payload_kg":3,"runtime_hours":"2","battery_life_hours":2},"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://www.unitree.com/g1","title":"Unitree — G1","sourceName":"Unitree Robotics","publishedAt":"2026-01-01"},{"url":"https://humanoid.press/humanoid-press/news/archives-humanoid-robots/","title":"Humanoid Press — Unitree G1 specs and adoption","sourceName":"Humanoid Press","publishedAt":"2026-01-01"},{"url":"https://www.unitree.com/g1/","title":"Unitree G1 humanoid (canonical specs: 1320 mm, ~35 kg, 23-43 DOF, Dex3-1 hand)","sourceName":"Unitree (official)"},{"url":"https://spectrum.ieee.org/unitree-g1","title":"Unitree demos new $16k robot (ICRA 2024 reveal/interview)","sourceName":"IEEE Spectrum"},{"url":"https://www.therobotreport.com/unitree-robotics-unveils-g1-humanoid-for-16k/","title":"Unitree unveils G1 humanoid for $16K (launch specs)","sourceName":"The Robot Report"},{"url":"https://newatlas.com/robotics/unitree-g1-humanoid-robot-mass-production/","title":"Unitree G1 ready to leap into mass production (agility demos)","sourceName":"New Atlas"},{"url":"https://www.designboom.com/technology/unitree-mass-production-g1-humanoid-robot-08-27-2024/","title":"Unitree gears up for mass production of G1","sourceName":"designboom"},{"url":"https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/china-humanoid-performs-impressive-kungfu","title":"Unitree humanoid demonstrates kung-fu moves and backflips (KungFu Kid demo)","sourceName":"Interesting Engineering"},{"url":"https://tml.stanford.edu/homebody/","title":"HomeBody: A Humanoid That Explores, Remembers, and Acts on Its Own","sourceName":"Stanford The Movement Lab (TML)","publishedAt":"2026-09-01"},{"url":"https://hybridrobotics.github.io/workhorse/","title":"Workhorse: Learning Robust Whole-Body Humanoid Loco-Manipulation from Human Data","sourceName":"UC Berkeley Hybrid Robotics","publishedAt":"2026-10-07"},{"url":"https://x.com/robotsdigest/status/2107923546827858395","title":"Workhorse framework post","sourceName":"X/@robotsdigest","publishedAt":"2026-10-07"}],"aliases":["G1"],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"manufacturerTermForTeleop":null,"keyFacts":[{"label":"Price","value":"$13,500-$16,000."},{"label":"Sensor suite","value":"3D LiDAR and depth cameras."},{"label":"Availability","value":"Sold directly from the Unitree store as a one-time purchase, with no subscription."},{"label":"HomeBody demo (project-stated)","value":"Stanford and Caltech ran a G1 guided by a frontier VLM with composable skills and spatial memory to tidy a kitchen and fetch medicine. Not a Unitree claim."},{"label":"Workhorse research (claimed, Oct 2026)","value":"UC Berkeley's Workhorse trains a G1 from robot-free human demos (wearable trackers and a chest camera), with no teleoperation or retargeting."},{"label":"Workhorse results (claimed, Oct 2026)","value":"On a real G1: box sorting, a five-minute no-reset run, catching a box. Simulated box sorting succeeded 77% (64% under pushes). Code not yet released."}],"createdAt":"2026-05-25T17:24:20.880Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-10T05:07:32.908Z","unitsInFieldClaimed":null,"unitsInFieldVerified":null,"unitsManufacturedClaimed":null,"unitsManufacturedVerified":null,"unitsAsOf":null,"unitsSource":null,"salesModel":null,"priceUndisclosedSince":null,"autonomyClass":"mixed","autonomyStatement":"Unitree G1 humanoid robot swarm performing rapid martial arts choreography, advanced balance","autonomyStatementSource":{"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMb8G5Hsi90","date":"2026"},"demoForensics":{"notes":"Unitree's viral videos show G1 robots performing martial arts choreography, dancing, and soccer kicks. These are choreographed demonstrations in controlled lab/film environments. The martial arts \"swarm\" video uses multiple cuts and camera angles. While the balance and locomotion are genuinely impressive (RL-based per Unitree), the videos do not demonstrate autonomous task completion in a work setting. Unitree's YouTube channel (@unitreerobotics) shows product demos but does not claim full autonomy for the G1. The G1 is a $16K developer platform, not a deployed work robot. The viral \"kung fu\" and \"soccer kick\" videos are choreographed performances, not autonomous work. No verified commercial deployment of G1 performing autonomous tasks exists. The H2 Plus (separate dossier) is even further from deployment.","videoUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMb8G5Hsi90","singleTake":"no","environment":"lab","speedAltered":"unclear","autonomyClaimed":"yes","autonomyCorroborated":"no"},"exportControlClass":null,"minCommitment":null,"warrantyTerms":null,"serviceModel":null,"productionRateClaimed":null,"productionRateEvidenced":null,"teleopRatioDisclosed":null,"interventionRateDisclosed":null},"deployment":{"id":"4015074e-5607-4bf7-b8ad-b0200955d76d","modelId":"3c593db9-6102-4c29-9be6-172887565abe","versionId":null,"locationId":"d6a66f2f-bb4a-415a-b2b6-5c01d0a58a36","operatorId":"e0eddc78-26bb-43ae-bfc5-422a414ebd99","ownerId":null,"slug":"unitree-g1-haneda-airport","status":"operational","firstSeen":"2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z","statusChangeReason":null,"contractType":null,"pilotOutcome":null,"endedAt":null,"unitsOnSite":null,"tasksPerformed":["cleaning"],"shiftStructure":null,"hoursPerDay":8,"siteType":"airport","operatorConfirmed":true,"humanSupervisionOnsite":null,"locationPrecisionTier":"verified_coordinates","deploymentScale":"single","siteEnvironment":"mixed","operatorType":"customer_deployed","sourceQualityTier":2,"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://interestingengineering.com/ai-robotics/japan-humanoid-robots-haneda-airport","label":"Humanoid robot begins work at Japanese airport to tackle labor crisis","title":"Humanoid robot begins work at Japanese airport to tackle labor crisis","mediaType":"article","publishedAt":"2026-05-07"},{"url":"https://mlq.ai/news/japan-airlines-launches-two-year-humanoid-robot-trial-at-haneda-airport/","label":"Japan Airlines Launches Two-Year Humanoid Robot Trial at Haneda Airport","title":"Japan Airlines Launches Two-Year Humanoid Robot Trial at Haneda Airport","mediaType":"article","publishedAt":"2026-05-07"},{"url":"https://www.heise.de/en/news/Unitree-s-humanoid-G1-robot-works-at-Japanese-airport-11275987.html","label":"Unitree's humanoid G1 robot works at Japanese airport","title":"Unitree's humanoid G1 robot works at Japanese airport","mediaType":"article","publishedAt":"2026-05-19"},{"url":"https://www.techtimes.com/articles/316862/20260519/jal-deploys-unitree-g1-robots-haneda-us-congress-moves-blacklist-supplier-national-security.htm","label":"JAL Deploys Unitree G1 Robots at Haneda","title":"JAL Deploys Unitree G1 Robots at Haneda","mediaType":"article","publishedAt":"2026-05-19"}],"notes":"Japan Airlines (JAL) began deploying Unitree G1 humanoid robots for live ground operations at Tokyo Haneda Airport in May 2026, in partnership with GMO AI & Robotics Corporation (a subsidiary of GMO Internet Group). The G1 units handle baggage and cargo containers on the tarmac; cabin cleaning is a planned next-phase task. The two-year operational trial runs through 2028, making JAL the first commercial airline to run a multi-year humanoid robot trial in active aviation service. The deployment addresses chronic labor shortages at Japan's busiest international airport. The Unitree G1 stands 132 cm tall and weighs 35 kg.","keyFacts":[{"label":"Operations partner","value":"GMO AI & Robotics Corporation"},{"label":"Trial period","value":"May 2026 to 2028 (2 years)"},{"label":"Tasks","value":"Baggage and cargo container handling on tarmac; cabin cleaning planned"},{"label":"Robot spec","value":"132 cm tall, 35 kg"}],"reviewNote":null,"exposureHours":null,"deploymentMilesEstimate":null,"exposureBasis":null,"customerSegment":"logistics","scaleTier":"pilot_lt10","contractValueUsd":null,"contractValueBasis":null,"customerCompanyId":null,"customerExternalName":null,"createdAt":"2026-06-11T15:23:16.290Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-21T17:10:55.468Z"},"company":null,"derived":{"status":"active"},"sources":[{"id":"b8e08a46-cd2d-4177-b760-6da2469a2705","incidentId":"78b6b6cb-bc9e-4de7-9a6e-4e8af7d32204","url":"https://discover.swns.com/2026/01/humanoid-robot-kicks-engineer-in-the-groin-during-combat-test/","label":"SWNS","publishedAt":"2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z","notes":null,"title":null,"sourceName":"SWNS","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-07-15T09:17:24.120Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-15T09:17:24.120Z"},{"id":"9df6788a-d310-4d07-a756-1f37cbb6af8f","incidentId":"78b6b6cb-bc9e-4de7-9a6e-4e8af7d32204","url":"https://interestingengineering.com/ai-robotics/humanoid-robot-kicks-teleoperator","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"Video: Humanoid robot kicks teleoperator's groin in demo-gone-wrong","sourceName":"Interesting Engineering","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-08-09T05:28:08.534Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-09T05:28:08.534Z"}],"responses":[],"statusEvents":[{"id":"59570c8a-d14b-4e8b-b142-e75560bf704b","incidentId":"78b6b6cb-bc9e-4de7-9a6e-4e8af7d32204","status":"active","reason":null,"source":"agent:recon","effectiveAt":"2026-07-15T09:17:25.285Z","createdAt":"2026-07-15T09:17:25.285Z"}],"jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/unitree-g1-kicks-engineer-groin-2025-12-24","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/unitree-g1-kicks-engineer-groin-2025-12-24","headline":"Unitree G1 humanoid kicked engineer in the groin during motion-learning test","description":"A Unitree G1 humanoid robot accidentally kicked a male engineer in the groin during a synchronized combat-style motion-learning test in Shanghai, China. Footage of the December 24 incident spread widely on social media. The engineer was mirroring the robot as part of a motion training exercise when the robots leg made contact.","identifier":"78b6b6cb-bc9e-4de7-9a6e-4e8af7d32204","datePublished":"2025-12-24T00:00:00.000Z","articleSection":"injury","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"},"author":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"verified","maturity_stage":null,"lifecycle_state":null,"architectural_position":{"cohort":null,"sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":2,"primary_source_types":[]}}}