The robot that never sleeps: ending with loading breaks – how a robot solves the biggest energy problem in automation

What makes the Walker S2 so special?

According to the company, the Walker S2 from UbTech Robotics is the first humanoid robot to change its own batteries without human help, which could theoretically work. This ability combines a double battery system with a precisely coordinated gripping and sensor system, which carries out the exchange process in around three minutes.

Suitable for:

• Humanoids and dynamic robots such as robotics – the comparison: Atlas by Boston Dynamics and Walker X from Ubtech

Why is it discussed?

The autonomous battery exchange attacks a fundamental problem of mobile robotics: the loading time. By outsourcing the Walker S2 and only removing a battery, while the second remains in the company, the standstill time, which otherwise costs productive hours. The concept therefore encounters debates about "Dark Factories", that is, largely deserted production facilities in which machines run around the clock under minimal lighting.

Basic concept and origin

Who is behind the project?

UbTech Robotics was founded in Shenzhen in 2012 and specializes in humanoid service robots. The company went to the stock exchange in Hong Kong in 2023 and has been investing heavily in industrial applications from its Walker series. The Walker platform has been going through several generations since 2018; The Walker S2 follows the Walker S1, which has already been used as a pilot project in automotive factories.

What technical data does the Walker S2 have?

The Walker S2 is an advanced technical device with remarkable specifications. It has a height of 1.62 m and weighs 43 kg. Depending on the source and expansion stage, the number of its degrees of freedom varies between 20 and 52. With a 48 v lithium battery in a dual design, it can provide impressive performance. It can go about 2 hours per battery charge and stand for up to 4 hours. The loading time per battery is 90 minutes and a change of battery takes about 3 minutes. His arms can wear loads of up to 15 kg, which underlines its versatility and functionality.

Each value was taken from at least two independent reports for protection. Easy variations in the degrees of freedom result from different counts (finger and hand systems included or not).

How does the double battery work in practice?

As soon as the tension of a battery falls under a defined threshold, the energy management system reports a need for action. The robot decides whether an exchange or a charging process makes sense immediately based on its contract priority. During the actual change, the second battery remains in operation, which guarantees a complete energy supply. After returning to the workplace, the station invites the previously removed battery, which always provides a pool loaded.

Steps of the battery change

How do I recognize the process step by step?

1. The robot registers declining residual capacity and calls the battery swap-task.
2. He navigates autonomously to the nearest loading bun.
3. After the back-to-station maneuver, he fixes the empty battery with both arms.
4. He mechanically unlocks the module, pulls it out and places it in the charging station.
5. A full battery is gripped, aligned and inserted into the free battery bay.
6. Locking and self -test complete the process; The robot returns to his task.

What does the time profile look like?

The pure mechanical handling takes almost three minutes; In the meantime, the second battery buffer the energy requirement. Since the charging station has several slots, many batteries can be loaded in parallel, so that bottlenecks would only occur with exceptionally high utilization.

Comparison with traditional charging strategies

What are the disadvantages of cable loading?

The wired shop has several significant disadvantages compared to the autonomous change of battery. The downtime is significantly higher when it comes to wired shops and is about 90 minutes per charging slot, while an autonomous change of battery only takes about 3 minutes. With regard to the infrastructure, wired loading requires charging stations, cable guides and standstill areas, whereas the autonomous approach relies on battery racks and quick locking systems. The scalability is restricted by the limited number of charging stations in wired shops, while autonomous battery changes depend flexibly on the size of the battery tool. Another crucial difference is in the energy flow: When it comes to wired shops, the vehicles are inactive about two hours per load, while autonomous battery change enables continuous operation with only short micro breaks.

How does that affect the operating costs?

In the case of highly automated assembly or logistics lines, each additional operating cycle pays off because the fixed costs of the robot are distributed over more productive hours. UbTech states that the predecessor Walker S1 in pilot factories has already increased the sorting output by up to 120%. If the downturn time shrinks every four hours in the future, the theoretical machine availability increases to over 98%, which closes classic industrial robots.

Industrial and social consequences

Which industries benefit at short notice?

Manufacturing companies with varied products in which human workplaces are difficult to fill for ergonomics or security reasons could particularly benefit. Examples are automotive assembly, electronics production and logistics hubs. Service segments, such as hotels or reception areas, also take advantage of benefits because the robot can cover nightly layers without surcharges.

What role do "Dark Factories" play?

The term describes factories that are so automated that people only take on remote monitoring and maintenance tasks. Due to its energy autonomy, the Walker S2 delivers a missing piece of the puzzle to smooth nightly power tips and to run systems without lighting. Forecasts of the International Federation of Robotics show that China made more than half of all industrial robots installed worldwide in 2022. This creates a new benchmark for global production costs.

What happens to the jobs?

Economists assume that around 23% of traditional jobs will be influenced by AI-based automation in the next five years. While simple activities are eliminated, new positions for planning, maintenance and optimization of robots are also created. However, qualification requirements move towards technology and data skills, which, according to the World Economic Forum, requires targeted retraining.

AI & XR-3D-Rendering Machine: five times expertise from Xpert.digital in a comprehensive service package, R&D XR, Pr & SEM – Image: Xpert.digital

Xpert.Digital has in-depth knowledge of various industries. This allows us to develop tailor-made strategies that are tailored precisely to the requirements and challenges of your specific market segment. By continually analyzing market trends and following industry developments, we can act with foresight and offer innovative solutions. Through the combination of experience and knowledge, we generate added value and give our customers a decisive competitive advantage.

More about it here:

• Use the 5 -fold competence of xpert.digital in one package – from 500 €/month

What are the ethical questions?

The ability to work without interruption raises questions about fair competitive situation, energy consumption and responsibility. When robots run 24/7, human employees could come under pressure to accept longer layers or slip into poorly paid service segments. At the same time, manufacturers emphasize that robots take on monotonous or dangerous tasks, while people should perform more creative functions.

Technical detailed questions

How does the robot implement its precision?

UbTech uses an RGB stereo camera system with 52 degrees of freedom that processes deep information similar to human eyes. In combination with a proprietary co-agent system, the robot is planning movements, evaluates collisions and learns from deviations. The servo actuators cover a torque range of $$ 0 {,} 2 \, \ text {nm} $$ 200 \, \ text {nm} $$, which enables sensitive manipulation and powerful lifting.

How robust is the battery change mechanism?

UbTech tested the gripping systems over 80,000 cycles without significant wear. The locks on the cordless shaft use redundant sensors: mechanical final switches, magnetic field sensors and an impedance control of the engines report a successful trap. This can be minimized by the risk of a loose battery, especially since the system spends an error message in case of doubt and changes to a safe idle state.

How does the robot decide between the shop and exchange?

An energy management algorithm compares the residual capacity $$ e _ {\ text {rest}} $$ with the expected energy requirement of the next order $$ e _ \ text {Task}}} $. He calculates the difference $$ \ Delta e = e _ {\ text {rest}} – e _ {\ text {Task}} $$. If $$ \ Delta e $$ is below a threshold $ \ varepsilon $$, the robot takes the exchange; Otherwise he starts the job and shifts the shop. This logic also takes into account the availability of charged batteries in the rack to avoid bottlenecks.

Perspectives of further development

Will the system continue to reduce?

UbTech announced that it is based on a more compact walker s lite based on the same battery concept, but is designed for smaller logistics units. In addition, the company is experimenting with faster loading chemics, which are supposed to press the loading time from 90 to less than 60 minutes.

Could solar or fuel cell systems be integrated?

In the short term, experts think this is unlikely, since the energy requirement for active walking is relatively high for humanoid robots: $$ \ Approx300 \, \ Text {w} $$ on average. Solar cells offer only a fraction of this performance. Fuel cells in turn increase the weight and require hydrogen infrastructure, which is why modular batteries remain more economical.

Are there a patent applications for the battery swap?

UbTech had several patents entered on a "Standardized Battery Bay Quick-Swapping Device for Bipedal Robots"; The Chinese database CNIPA lists registrations from 2024 and 2025. The patents cover mechanisms for self -locking and protocols for battery exchange, which makes competitors get started.

Economic key figures

How is UbTech financially?

UbTech's financial situation is challenging in 2025, but not unusual for a young technology company in the robotics industry. The company shows sales of 1.950 million Yuan (approx. € 242 million) and at the same time a net loss of 1.040 million Yuan (approx. € 129 million). Despite these financial challenges, UbTech already has a remarkable robotics portfolio with more than 500 pre-ordered Walker units and employs 2,191 people.

Market analysts from Market screen forecast that Ubtech continues to invest massively in research and development despite the current loss expectation – a typical approach for innovative technology companies. The strategy aims to make the first profits from 2027, especially if large orders from the automotive industry can be realized. This investment strategy underlines the long -term potential and developmental description of the company in the dynamic robotics industry.

Which competitive models exist?

Other manufacturers such as Figure.ai, Tesla Optimus and China-based unitree also develop humanoid platforms. However, none of the competitors have been implementing a fully autonomous battery exchange; Instead, wireless charging remains common via docking stations. In terms of energy continuity, UbTech thus has a unique selling point for the time being.

Legal framework

How is security regulated?

China adopted 2024 guidelines for the security of autonomous robots in industrial environments, which among other things prescribe emergency stop switches, energy locking and defined emergency routines. The Walker S2 fulfills these requirements with an easily accessible emergency stop on the back and software-side obsessive-forced top for position deviations above ± 5 mm.

Are there international norms?

On a global level, ISO 10218-1 use ISO/TS 15066 for collaborative systems. At the same time, the International Electrotechnical Commission is working on additions to mobile humanoid platforms. UbTech strives for a CE marking for the European market, but must complete additional tests for electromagnetic compatibility.

Is the Walker S2 a milestone?

The combination of humanoid mobility, dual battery system and autonomous swap functions shifts the borders of industrial robotics. The loss of loading breaks significantly increases availability and enables real 24/7 processes. Nevertheless, there are challenges such as high acquisition costs, complex maintenance and ethical debates.

If UbTech reaches the forecast production figures and received further partnerships with large corporations, the Walker S2 could become a reference model for energy autonomous factory robots. At the same time, the international regulatory framework is likely to specify to ensure security and liability in a factory life dominated by machines.

The change towards almost continuously operating humanoids is therefore no longer a futuristic vision, but a concrete development path. It will be crucial how quickly companies, politics and society convert the resulting opportunities and risks into a balanced overall system.

☑️ SME support in strategy, consulting, planning and implementation

☑️ Creation or realignment of the digital strategy and digitalization

☑️ Expansion and optimization of international sales processes

☑️ Global & Digital B2B trading platforms

☑️ Pioneer Business Development

Konrad Wolfenstein

I would be happy to serve as your personal advisor.

You can contact me by filling out the contact form below or simply call me on +49 89 89 674 804 (Munich) .

I'm looking forward to our joint project.

Xpert.Digital is a hub for industry with a focus on digitalization, mechanical engineering, logistics/intralogistics and photovoltaics.

With our 360° business development solution, we support well-known companies from new business to after sales.

Market intelligence, smarketing, marketing automation, content development, PR, mail campaigns, personalized social media and lead nurturing are part of our digital tools.

You can find more at: www.xpert.digital – www.xpert.solar – www.xpert.plus