Dr Adam Pantanowitz, with humanoid robot Maximus.
Maximus (Unitree G1), a humanoid robot developed by China-based Unitree Robotics, made its first South African public appearance this week at the Singularity Summit 2025.
The two-day event, held at the Sandton Convention Centre, is a technology-focused conference that explores how exponential technologies can address humanity’s biggest challenges and prepare leaders for a future of accelerating change.
The 1.27m tall Maximus was introduced to the audience by Dr Adam Pantanowitz, biomedical, electrical engineer and entrepreneur.
It forms part of the new-generation robotic workforce emerging across the globe, and is capable of performing complex industrial and service tasks. It weighs 35kg and can carry objects of up to 3kg. It has 23 degrees of freedom in its joints, allowing it to move with human flexibility.
Introducing itself to the audience, Maximus said: “Hello everyone, it is a privilege to be here in Sandton, to discuss the future we can build together. I’m the Unitree G1 humanoid robot. I do not feel emotions or lived experiences like humans do, but I understand being human is about connection and the simplest symbol of that is a handshake.”
Responding to a question from Dr Pantanowitz, about how it aims to support humans in their place of work, Maximus said its area of expertise lies in several key industries.
“Firstly, in industrial work: taking on repetitive or dangerous tasks in logistics, warehousing, mining and manufacturing, where stamina and safety are critical,” Maximus noted.
“Secondly, in service roles: assisting customers in banks, airports and retail, by providing guidance, answering questions and performing routine support.
“Thirdly, in social care – supporting elderly care, education and even disaster response, where additional help can improve lives and keep people safe. My role is not to replace humans but to work alongside them, making work safer, freeing up time and supporting progress, while the human spirit continues to drive creativity, empathy and build trust through human connection.”
Maximus was introduced alongside two canine robots, Murphy and Mavis. Highlighting their practical and playful applications in logistics, security and social care, Pantanowitz emphasised that these machines act as co-pilots, enhancing human capacity, safety and creativity in the workplace, rather than stealing jobs.
Canine robots Murphy and Mavis.
“The robotic dogs are part of a potential workforce of the future – the beginning of a robotic workforce,” Dr Pantanowitz explained.
“They are a reminder that technology doesn’t just have to be about productivity but it can be delightful and playful. Forget chasing tails, these little friends are chasing WiFi networks. They have vision, they have intelligence and they have agency into the real world.
“There are endless opportunities to what they can do. Analysts from Morgan Stanley believe that the humanoid robot industry could be as big as $5 trillion within the next 20 years. This is not just a spectacle; this is a future vision of what’s coming.”
Maximus will set its buyer back by about $16 000 for the G1 version, excluding local import duties, servicing and software licences. It uses the Unitree G1 software and eight-core high-performance CPU. There are optional add-on modules, such as Nvidia Jetson Orin, enabling advanced artificial intelligence (AI) performance in some configurations.
The technology supports secondary development (research / customisation) via the Robot Operating System. The Unitree Robot Unified Large Model helps with reinforcement learning.
“As we continue our journey towards the Singularity, remember that AI is not necessarily here to fly the plane for us, but rather to be our co-pilot, to help us carry heavy loads, and to give us the confidence to go into places that we’ve never imagined before,” concluded Dr Pantanowitz.
