U.S. chip maker Nvidia announced on June 1 that it has teamed up with Chinese humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics to launch its first-ever robotics system, which will be sold to researchers at institutions such as Stanford University.

The system features Unitree's nearly six-foot-tall H2 humanoid robot, integrated with Nvidia's Jetson Thor hardware--including its advanced Blackwell GPU, designed to power on-device artificial intelligence.

According to a press release, the testing package also includes Nvidia's humanoid-focused AI models--known as Isaac GR00T--along with its simulation systems. The robot's mechanical hands are supplied by Singapore-based Sharpa.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has predicted that "physical AI" could evolve into a market worth tens of trillions of dollars. During an earnings call last month, he told investors he expects rapid growth in the robotics sector over the next five years.

"Today, we're announcing the Nvidia Isaac GR00T--a reference humanoid robot, fully integrated, with 25 degrees of freedom in each hand made by Sharpa, 31 degrees of freedom in the robot itself," Huang said during a keynote speech in Taipei on June 1. "It stands six feet tall and weighs 150 pounds--just like me."

In a separate development on June 1, Unitree Robotics received approval from the Shanghai Stock Exchange's listing committee for its planned initial public offering on the STAR Market. The move marks one of the fastest IPO reviews in China this year, as investors continue to pour into the country's rapidly growing robotics sector.