Methodology

Data schema and evidence rules

One JSON file per robot in data/robots/<slug>.json. <slug> must match the

slug field exactly (kebab-case, e.g. unitree-g1).

Top-level fields

Spec fields

specs holds a fixed set of keys, each optional individually but if present

must follow this shape:

{ "value": <number|string>, "status": "claimed|demonstrated|shipped", "source": { ... } }

Recognized keys: height_cm, weight_kg, dof, battery_runtime_min,

walking_speed_kmh, payload_kg, hands. Add more only if a robot has a

genuinely distinct, sourced attribute — do not pad with unsourced fields.

Source object

Every value — spec, price, or timeline event — carries a source:

Price entries

price_history is an array, oldest first:

{ "date": "YYYY-MM-DD", "amount": <number>, "currency": "USD", "variant": "string", "status": "claimed|demonstrated|shipped", "source": { ... } }

Delivery

delivery.status is the robot's current overall standing: shipped,

demonstrated, claimed, or announced-only. delivery.timeline is an

array of dated events:

{ "date": "YYYY-MM-DD", "event": "announced|first-demo|preorders-open|first-customer-delivery|volume-estimate", "detail": "string", "quantity_min": null, "quantity_max": null, "source": { ... } }

Only include an event once it has real evidence. Do not invent a

first-customer-delivery event to fill a gap — if it hasn't happened, the

timeline simply stops at the last real event, and delivery.status reflects

that (claimed or demonstrated, not shipped).

The three statuses, precisely

claimed

The manufacturer's own words: a specs page on the manufacturer's domain, a

press release, a regulatory/investor filing, or an interview with a named

person and a date, published by the manufacturer or a credible outlet

quoting them directly. Blog posts, "reviews", or news articles that merely

repeat a number without citing the manufacturer directly do not qualify

as the source for a claimed value — trace it back to the manufacturer.

demonstrated

An uncut video or live demonstration, run by an independent party (press,

customer, researcher), OR a manufacturer-produced video in which the

property in question is visibly performed with a timestamp (e.g. a battery

runtime demonstrated across a visibly continuous, timestamped clip). CGI

renders, heavily cut marketing reels, and "coming soon" trailers do not

qualify.

shipped

A named customer, with photographic or video evidence of a physical unit in

their possession, plus at least one of: an invoice, a serial number, an

independent unboxing, or a customs/import record. A signed contract,

preorder, deposit, or a "shipping in Q4" statement is not shipped — it is

claimed (or demonstrated if a working unit was shown).

Contradicting sources

If two credible sources disagree on a value (different height, different

delivery date, etc.), do not silently pick one. Record both, each with its

own source and accessed date, and add a short note in notes explaining

the discrepancy. The comparison table on the homepage links to whichever

value is most recently sourced, but the robot page must show both.

Quantities

Delivered/produced quantities are almost never precisely disclosed. Use

quantity_min / quantity_max as a range, each end backed by its own

source where possible (e.g. "at least 500" from one filing, "fewer than

2,000" inferred from another). If no credible number exists at all, omit

the timeline event entirely rather than guessing.

Validation

tools/validate.js enforces: required fields present, status is exactly

one of the three values, every value-bearing object has a non-empty

source.url, source.quote (≤300 chars) and source.accessed

(YYYY-MM-DD), and slug matches the filename.