While so many humanoid robots are continuing to walk as if they’re suffering back pain or knee problems, Unitree’s G1 robot arrived last year sporting astonishing fluidity.

Digital Trends has already reported on the G1’s ability to move in a way that would make even the world’s top gymnasts envious, with various videos showing it engaged in combat, recovering from falls, and even doing the housework.

And now, a team of roboticists at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has taught the very same G1 robot to move like a pro basketball player and even shoot hoops. It really is an extraordinary achievement and makes us excited for the future of humanoid robots.

Working with Unitree’s compact and super-versatile G1 humanoid robot, the team has somehow managed to make it look like a pro basketball player, competently handling the ball while making fluid moves before launching it toward the hoop a la Nikola Jokić.

To achieve the feat, the roboticists deployed SkillMimic, an AI model framework that learns from human demonstrations in videos and motion-tracking suits before optimizing those actions in virtual training environments until they’re refined enough for real-world application, Interesting Engineering reported.

Those of you who follow this kind of thing might recall a humanoid robot unveiled by Toyota seven years ago that can also shoot hoops. However, the original version could only throw the basketball from a fixed position, while a more recent version uses wheels that allow it to move across the court.

Toyota’s robot has nowhere near the agility and body movement demonstrated by the G1 robot, which makes Unitree’s machine so special.

The roboticists’ work with the G1 highlights a breakthrough in sim-to-real AI transfer, enabling humanoid robots to master complex, dynamic tasks in unstructured real-world environments, following simulated training. 

Narrowing the gap between lab simulations and practical applications could have a big impact on humanoid robot deployment in locations such as warehouses and other places where robots work alongside humans — a key focus for the growing number of companies building such systems.

Unitree unveiled the G1 humanoid robot last year and started selling it in February for around $13,000, targeting research institutions, universities, and businesses for R&D in humanoid robotics and AI. This fella in the U.S. also bought one for his home workshop, and came up with this terrifying creation in time for Halloween.