Sixteen humanoid robots, each nearly six feet tall, recently shared the stage with human dancers at China's Spring Festival Gala, performing a captivating rendition of the traditional Yangge folk dance. This remarkable fusion of technology and culture, featuring Unitree's H1 robots, signifies a notable advancement in robotics and entertainment.

The robots didn't just keep rhythm with the music and human dancers; they also mastered a complex element of the Yangge dance: the handkerchief trick. Spinning, tossing, and catching handkerchiefs mid-dance requires significant practice for human performers, highlighting the sophisticated AI-powered full-body motion control of the H1 robots.

The performance was pre-programmed using data from human dancers, with whole-body AI motion control ensuring synchronization among the robots. Lidar technology allowed for real-time adaptation to unexpected occurrences.

Presented during the Spring Festival Gala, known as the world's most-watched annual television program, the robot dance segment, directed by Zhang Yimou, reached an estimated audience exceeding one billion people.

Unitree, the company behind these robots, also produces the more budget-friendly G1 humanoid robot and various quadruped robots. With the global humanoid robot market projected to reach $38 billion by 2035, Unitree is establishing itself as a leader in this rapidly expanding field, anticipating increased commercial applications for its robots in the coming years.

This remarkable display raises questions about the future of human-machine interaction and the evolving roles robots will play in diverse fields.