Start by choosing a clearly defined workflow with specified parts, tools and movement zones. Then check that the equipment on the exact robot variant matches your integration plan. A development platform, a mobile manipulator and a test set-up with physical separation address different pilot questions. If employees will work directly with the robot, include the specific task and intended workplace in your risk assessment. The German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) points out that CE marking does not replace the workplace risk assessment.
If you want to trial picking, presenting or loading and unloading parts in a set location, the actual parts and the right gripper matter more than a general movement demonstration. A research project at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg is investigating a G1-EDU platform for manufacturing, assembly and inspection.
If you want to test a route between workstations, include the operating area, floor and handover points in the pilot workflow as well as the manipulation tasks. A mobile base alone does not prove that a system can be used on every route around a factory.
If people and robots are to share the same work area, you need to consider collisions with the robot, its tool and moving parts. The DGUV stresses that the manufacturer’s risk assessment must cover the intended workplace.
First, describe the task, parts and handover points. Then decide whether the pilot involves development work of your own, movement between locations or a test with people sharing the work area.
| Consideration | What to look for when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Task suitability | Define the parts, handover points and success criteria; check the gripper and hand configuration of the variant on offer. | If I want the robot to pick up specific parts and place them in a defined location, I need a suitable end effector rather than a general movement demo. Around 26% of consumers put task suitability first. |
| Safety measures | Include the movement zone, people’s routes, tools and moving parts in the assessment; plan for separation or technical safeguards. | For a test in a shared work area, I want to know how people will be protected from potential collisions. Safety measures are the top priority for around 26% of consumers. |
| Integration | Check the required data, control permissions and interfaces against the exact variant on offer. | If my team wants to integrate its own sensors, movement or controls, access to the required interfaces must be confirmed. Integration is the most important consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Mobility | Check the route, floor, handovers and movement zone; establish whether the pilot is intended to assess wheeled travel or bipedal walking. | For a workflow between stations, I want to trial the actual route and handovers, not just movement in a fixed location. Around 16% of consumers prioritise mobility. |
| After-sales requirements | Ask for an itemised breakdown of the variant, gripper, integration, training and maintenance for the same pilot scope. | If my project team needs to plan configuration and support, I want to define the services required in advance. After-sales requirements are a priority for around 11% of consumers. |
Unitree states that the standard G1 does not support secondary development and directs customers to the EDU variant for this purpose. EDU versions can also differ in their hands and equipment.
Specify the control permissions, hands and sensors you need in your enquiry, then check them against the exact variant on offer.
CE marking does not replace a risk assessment for the specific application. When people are nearby, tools and moving parts may also need to be considered.
Assess the entire pilot workflow and use the specific risks to determine whether physical separation or other safeguards are needed.
A wheeled humanoid can be used to trial a route between workstations, but this does not automatically answer whether bipedal walking is needed for the workflow.
Before choosing, define whether the pilot is intended to assess material transport between stations or specifically bipedal walking.
G1-EDU variants are relevant for your own movement and grasping trials. Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg is investigating a G1-EDU configuration for manufacturing, assembly and inspection.
iggyRob is described as a wheeled humanoid with two arms, designed for pilot workflows involving material movement and handling.
DOBOT describes ATOM Max as suitable for more complex manipulation trials and has introduced ATOM-W as a wheeled alternative for moving materials and parts.
The manufacturer describes the wheeled G2 as being used at inspection stations in electronics manufacturing.
The Joybuy offers below are Unitree R1 variants with different specifications for degrees of freedom and cameras. Product details alone do not prove that a model is suitable for a manufacturing workplace; check the configuration, safeguards and intended use before starting a pilot.
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May be worth considering for a defined movement and perception test; the product details do not demonstrate suitability for your specific manufacturing workflow.
Product title specifies 26 degrees of freedom and dual cameras. Connections listed include Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.
The product description warns that the robot can exert considerable force and move at speed, and requires sufficient clear space. Children should not operate it unsupervised.
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May be worth considering for a defined movement and perception test; check in advance whether this variant meets the requirements of your pilot workflow.
Product title specifies 20 degrees of freedom and a monocular camera.
The product description warns against stairs, edges and uneven surfaces, as well as the risk of trapping at moving joints. It also describes the device as not waterproof and unsuitable for high humidity.
No. Where CE marking is required, it must be affixed before a product is placed on the market under Section 7 of the ProdSG; however, it does not replace a workplace risk assessment. Under Section 3 of the BetrSichV, the employer must assess the risks of the specific use in advance.
For the collaborative use described, the DGUV advises that the robot manufacturer’s risk assessment must include the intended workplace. The employer must also assess the risks of using the robot at their own workplace; this may include the end effector and moving objects.
First, confirm which G1-EDU version, hand configuration and interfaces the trial requires. Unitree’s developer guide describes communication with an external Ubuntu PC over Ethernet and DDS, as well as a secure safety fixture for initial development work. This platform guidance does not constitute approval for use in a manufacturing workplace.
No, this cannot be assumed in every case. For a case-by-case decision on whether a group of machines constitutes an assembly, the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) refers to an interpretation paper with a flowchart. Before integration, clarify the specific combination and the responsibilities that follow.
According to the BAuA, Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 will apply to the placing of machinery on the market from 20 January 2027. If you plan to procure or make a system available at a later date, check the legislation in force at that time and how the integrated system is classified.