At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, a four-legged robot dog became one of the biggest attractions on the show floor. Crowds gathered, cameras rolled, and social media quickly picked up clips of the machine walking, posing and interacting with visitors. But the buzz soon turned into controversy after it came into light that the robot, introduced as “Orion” at the booth of Galgotias University, was actually the commercially available Unitree Go 2, a robot developed by China-based Unitree Robotics.
Following the accusations, the university issued a clarification stating that it had not developed the robot and was using it purely as a research platform. However, that explanation did little to calm the online debate. So, what exactly is Unitree Go 2, and why has it suddenly become a trending topic in India?
What is Unitree Go 2?
The Unitree Go 2 is a second-generation quadruped robot built by Unitree Robotics. It’s a Chinese company founded by Wang Xingxing, which specialises in high-performance quadrupedal robots.
The Unitree Go 2 was unveiled globally in 2023, as an affordable AI-powered robot dog designed for education, research and robotics development.
The robot is built with a lightweight aluminium and engineering plastic body and weighs roughly 15–16kg. The machine measures around 70 x 31 x 40 cm, which, according to the company, makes it portable enough for lab work and demonstrations while still sturdy enough for outdoor use. It features an IP54 rating, to offer durability against dust and water splashes during outdoor use.
Inside, the Unitree Go 2 is equipped with wide-angle 3D and 4D Ultra-wide LiDAR for mapping and obstacle avoidance, along with cameras for visual perception. The robot uses multiple sensors, including IMUs and joint encoders, to maintain balance and stability while walking, trotting, turning or climbing small steps.
Under the hood, Unitree Go 2 features an 8-core CPU, with the Pro model supporting up to 40 TOPS of AI computing power. It supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth connectivity for remote control and data transfer.
It runs on an 8,000mAh removable battery that promises to offer between one and two hours of runtime, though an optional 15,000mAh battery is available for extended sessions.
Unitree Go 2 price in India
Globally, the entry-level Go 2 Air variant is priced at around US$1,600 (roughly Rs 1.4–1.5 lakh). Higher-end versions such as the Go 2 Pro go up to about US$2,800 (around Rs 2.3–2.5 lakh), excluding shipping.
Controversy at India AI Impact Summit 2026
The robot recently drew major attention at the India AI Impact Summit after it was showcased by Galgotias University under the name “Orion”. During the presentation, a university representative described the robot as part of the institution’s innovation efforts under a major AI initiative. However, viewers quickly identified it as the commercially available Unitree Go 2.
Videos and posts soon circulated online questioning whether the robot had been presented as an indigenous development. Following the criticism, Galgotias University, located in Noida, clarified that it had not built the robot but had purchased it for experimentation and research purposes.
“Let us be clear — Galgotias has not built this robodog, nor have we claimed Our students are experimenting with it, testing its limits, and in the process, expanding their own knowledge,” the university said in the official statement.
In the latest development, reports suggested that the institution was asked to vacate its booth at the summit. Though the university has denied these claims. “We have not been informed yet that we have to vacate,” a Galgotias professor at the AI Summit told India Today.
