Discrete and Process Automation

World’s first self-powering humanoid robot works nonstop

21 July 2025

A humanoid robot capable of fully autonomous battery swapping has been developed by researchers from China’s UBTech.

The Walker S2, which has been developed for uninterrupted industrial operations, can reportedly replace its own power pack in roughly three minutes without human intervention.

Source: UBTechSource: UBTech

Capable of operating across dynamic industrial environments, the Walker S2 is equipped with anthropomorphic bipedal locomotion and a hot-swappable battery system.

According to its developers, the Walker S2 can autonomously detach its depleted power pack and install a fresh one within three minutes.

Walker S2’s dual-battery system enables the robot to automatically switch to a backup battery in the event of a main battery failure, thus ensuring that critical tasks are carried out uninterrupted.

Beyond battery swapping, the Walker S2 can choose between charging and swapping according to task urgency, thereby enabling it to manage energy dynamically and adapt to real-time operational demands.

For more on the Walker S2, watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of UBTech.

To contact the author of this article, email mdonlon@globalspec.com


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