Engine AI, a pioneering robotics company founded in 2023, has made remarkable strides in developing advanced humanoid robots. Their first bipedal robot, the SA1, and the full-size general-purpose humanoid robot, SEO1, launched in 2024, have taken the world by storm.

The key achievement of Engine AI's robots is their ability to walk with a human-like gait, a long-standing challenge in the field of humanoid robotics. While other companies, such as Boston Dynamics, have demonstrated impressive robotic locomotion, Engine AI has managed to surpass them by achieving a level of realism that has left many skeptical observers questioning the authenticity of their demonstrations.

The videos showcasing the Engine AI robots walking and performing various tasks, including push-ups, have gone viral, with viewers initially doubting the reality of the robots' movements. Even industry experts, such as Dr. Jim Fan from NVIDIA, were initially skeptical, questioning whether the footage was computer-generated. However, after verifying the authenticity of the demonstrations, the robotics community has recognized Engine AI's groundbreaking achievements.

The key to Engine AI's success lies in their approach to robot design and training. By prioritizing simulation-based development and leveraging human movement data from motion capture, the company has been able to create robots that can seamlessly mimic human locomotion. Additionally, the use of reinforcement learning algorithms, such as PPO (Proximal Policy Optimization), has allowed the robots to adapt and learn from varied simulated environments, ensuring robust and realistic movements.

The continued advancements of Engine AI's robots, including the ability to perform a front flip, a challenging maneuver that requires precise balance and coordination, further demonstrate the company's engineering prowess. The recent demonstration of the Engine 01 robot running past a jogger, showcasing its human-like gait and speed, is another testament to the company's progress.

As the robotics industry continues to evolve, the achievements of Engine AI have set a new benchmark, inspiring other companies to push the boundaries of what is possible in humanoid robotics. The upcoming half-marathon event in China, where robots from over 20 companies will compete, promises to be a thrilling showcase of the rapid advancements in this field.

The initial skepticism surrounding the realism of Engine AI's humanoid robots was understandable, given the unprecedented level of human-like movement they displayed. However, the doubts were put to rest when Dr. Jim Fan, a senior research manager at Nvidia and co-founder of the Gear Lab, verified the authenticity of the robot demonstrations.

Dr. Fan, who is a leader in the project Groot, which focuses on solving general robotics and physical AI challenges at Nvidia, initially expressed his own doubts about the videos. He tweeted, "Hey everyone, this was allegedly shot in Shenzhen. Is this real? Can someone verify? I've seen this company posting very natural humanoid walking gaits a couple of months ago. However, these days it's quite hard to tell CGI versus real."

However, after further investigation, Dr. Fan confirmed that the robot demonstrations were indeed real. He stated, "I verified from reliable sources that the new visual T-test is a real robot demo. The controller is a neural net that was trained in Nvidia's ISAAC simulator using reinforcement learning, and then Sim-to-Real reward engineering is all you need."

This verification from a respected figure in the robotics community helped to dispel the doubts and solidify the fact that Engine AI had achieved a remarkable breakthrough in humanoid robotics. The company's ability to create robots that could walk, run, and even perform complex dance moves in a remarkably human-like manner was a testament to their innovative approach and the power of simulation-based training using Nvidia's ISAAC platform.

While Engine AI was making waves with its impressive humanoid robots, another company, Unitree, emerged as a strong competitor in the field. The Unitree G1 robot quickly gained attention for its own remarkable capabilities.

The G1 robot demonstrated an ability to run like a human, seamlessly traversing various terrains and surfaces. This achievement was a significant milestone, as it showcased the rapid progression in humanoid robotics. The G1 was not only able to walk like a human but could also run, showcasing the advancements in balance, coordination, and precision that the robotics industry had achieved.

The versatility of the G1 robot was particularly noteworthy, as it could adapt to different environments and challenges with ease. This highlighted the importance of simulation-based design and the use of human movement data in training these advanced robots. The combination of robust hardware and sophisticated software algorithms allowed the G1 to perform tasks that were previously considered incredibly challenging for humanoid robots.

The emergence of the Unitree G1 alongside the groundbreaking work of Engine AI underscored the rapid pace of innovation in the field of humanoid robotics. It demonstrated that when one company achieves a significant breakthrough, it can inspire and motivate others to push the boundaries of what is possible. This healthy competition within the industry is driving the rapid evolution of humanoid robots, paving the way for even more impressive advancements in the years to come.

The crazy thing about all of this, whether it's the Unitree G1 or the Engine AI robot, is that a lot of these robots are still having upgrades. One of the continued innovations that this company has managed to do was to be able to get the robot to perform a front flip. This maneuver is actually notably more challenging than a backflip due to the complexities involved in forward rotation. It requires precise balance, rapid weight shifting, and coordinated limb movements to ensure a controlled landing. The successful execution of this front flip shows that this company is destined for more.

The design, which is lightweight and has high-performance components, enables the robot to perform this feat. This also goes to show that their hardware is very robust, as it was able to do a front flip in a remarkably effective manner. This demonstrates that the software is most certainly going to be even more important, as it allows the robots to do things that you probably didn't even know they could do.

Recently, we got to see the Engine 01 robot actually running outside, quite like a human would. Funnily enough, it ran right past a jogger in this specific demo. Once again, they have used reinforcement learning to be able to get this robot, trained in simulation, to effectively have the right gait as a human would. This is probably more effective than other methods we've seen humanoid robots run with. This is another continued innovation, as a lot of robots actually can't run that fast.

The engine AI PM1 robot recently made headlines with its impressive performance, recreating the iconic ax gang dance from the 2004 film Kung Fu Hustle. This demonstration, released on March 16th, 2025, showcased the robot's remarkable balance, coordination, and precision as it executed complex synchronized dance moves alongside professional human dancers.

The video of this performance sparked immediate skepticism online, with viewers questioning whether the robot's movements were sped up, CGI-enhanced, or AI-generated. However, the behind-the-scenes footage revealed the meticulous process of capturing human dance data and applying it to the robot's movements. The result was a seamless and lifelike performance that pushed the boundaries of current robotics technology.

This achievement is a testament to the advancements made by engine AI in developing humanoid robots with exceptional agility and flexibility. The PM1's ability to mimic the fluid and dynamic movements of the Kung Fu Hustle dance routine is a remarkable feat, blurring the line between real and digital capabilities. This demonstration not only showcases the company's technical prowess but also highlights the rapid progress in the field of humanoid robotics, leaving observers in awe and anticipation of what the future may hold.

Engine AI, a relatively new player in the robotics industry, has made remarkable strides in developing advanced humanoid robots. Their ability to achieve human-like gait and movement has left the robotics community and the general public in awe.

The company's first bipedal robot, the SA1, and their full-size humanoid robot, the SEO1, have showcased impressive capabilities that were previously thought to be unattainable. The seamless and natural walking motion of these robots has challenged the preconceptions of what is possible in the field of humanoid robotics.

The company's success can be attributed to their focus on simulation-driven design and the incorporation of human movement data. By leveraging powerful simulation tools and reinforcement learning algorithms, Engine AI has been able to train their robots to perform complex maneuvers, including front flips, that push the boundaries of current robotics technology.

The recent demonstrations of the Engine 01 robot running alongside a jogger and the PM1 robot executing synchronized dance moves with professional dancers have further solidified Engine AI's position as a leader in the humanoid robotics space. These achievements have sparked discussions about the rapid advancements in the field and the potential for China to surpass the United States in this domain.

As the robotics industry continues to evolve, the innovations showcased by Engine AI suggest that the future of humanoid robots is bright. The ability to create robots that can seamlessly integrate with human environments and activities holds immense potential for various applications, from assistive technologies to entertainment and beyond.