Custom robot choreography and speeches: lead times

Custom robot content takes as long as the gap between what you want and what the supplier has already built and tested. A new welcome speech using moves the robot already knows is a small job; new choreography set to music, or new full-body moves on a walking humanoid, needs development, testing and rehearsal time that only the supplier can estimate. Ask for dated milestones in the quote rather than a simple "yes, we can do that".

Four levels of customisation

Say early which level you need, because each step up adds work and risk.

Existing repertoire, your words. The robot runs routines the supplier already uses; you supply names, greetings and a short script.
New script and screen content. New speech text, translations and, on robots with a screen such as Pepper, new tablet pages.
New gestures on an existing platform. Arm and head animations timed to a speech or a product reveal.
New full-body choreography. Dance routines, synchronised groups or walking patterns on a two-legged humanoid.

Levels 1 and 2 are mostly writing and checking. Levels 3 and 4 mean building and testing motion on the real robot.

Why new moves take time

The tools differ by platform. For Pepper and NAO, the Choregraphe desktop software lets developers create animations, behaviours and dialogues, test them on a simulated or a real robot, and extend them with Python. Some steps cannot be simulated: in Animation mode, poses are recorded by physically moving the real robot's limbs, and the documentation notes this cannot be tested on a simulated robot.

For the Unitree G1, what is possible depends on the exact version. Unitree's product page lists secondary development as not supported on the standard G1 and supported on the G1 EDU. On the EDU, Unitree's developer documentation says custom code runs on a separate development computer, while the motion-control computer runs Unitree's own program and is not open to developers.

Testing is the slow part. The G1 user manual describes switching the robot into a dedicated develop mode while it hangs in a suspension frame, and warns that remote-control commands still act while a custom high-level program runs, which can make the robot unstable. Unitree's open-source reinforcement-learning example follows four stages – train, play back, test in a second simulator (MuJoCo), then deploy to the real robot – and its deployment guide starts with the robot hoisted and describes itself as a demonstration rather than a stable controller.

The practical lesson: a genuinely new whole-body move passes through simulation, suspended tests and supervised trials before it should run near an audience. It cannot responsibly be "uploaded the night before".

Large productions show the scale of the effort. At China's 2025 Spring Festival Gala, more than a dozen Unitree humanoid robots in Yangge costumes danced in sync with human performers, in a programme created with film director Zhang Yimou and the Xinjiang Arts Institute, according to TechNode.

Speeches and scripts

Robot scripts are written for the ear. SoftBank Robotics' design guide for Pepper recommends short sentences, everyday language and deliberate pauses, which developers insert in milliseconds with a pause tag. It also suggests showing lists of more than three items on the tablet instead of reading them out.

Every extra language is extra content. In Choregraphe, each supported language has its own translation file that someone has to fill in and validate. If you need several languages, read Speech, languages and noisy venues before you commit to a programme.

Budget time for pronunciation. Brand names, speaker names and product codes often sound wrong in synthetic speech and need re-spelling and listening tests. If you want spontaneous answers instead, a teleoperated voice delivered live by a trained operator avoids scripting but needs its own rehearsal.

Music and choreography

Fix the audio first. Choreography is timed to one specific edit; a new mix or tempo means re-timing.
Clear the music. Playing recorded music in public can require a licence. Messe Frankfurt's presentation rules, for example, require GEMA permission for music at stands, and in Czechia OSA offers music licences to music users. Agree who arranges it.
Design for the real space. A routine built for a large floor may not fit your stage. Share dimensions and the floor finish early (see venue requirements).

A planning sequence

In your request, state the customisation level, attach a draft script and any reference video, and give the event date. Send it here – on humanoid4rent, lead time is one of the filters used to shortlist suppliers.
In the quote, expect programming or content development as its own line, including rehearsals and changes – one of the extras our pricing guide recommends comparing.
Agree a freeze date for script, music and names, set by the supplier according to their testing needs.
Get a preview: a video of the routine on the same robot model.
Plan one round of changes. Later changes come as a new quote version, because on humanoid4rent a sent quote cannot be edited (see how it works).
Rehearse on site on the real floor before doors open.
Keep a fallback: a simpler, proven routine in case the custom one misbehaves (see what if the robot fails).

If your date is close, check how far in advance to book and be ready to scale back to level 1 or 2.

Checklist: questions for the supplier

Which exact robot model and software version will perform, and does it support custom development?
Have you built something similar? Can we see a video?
Which parts are existing routines and which are new?
When do you need the final script, music and brand names?
How many revision rounds are included, and what does a late change cost?
Where will testing happen: in simulation, suspended, or in a space like ours?
Who licenses the music?
What is the fallback routine, and who decides to switch to it?
Who may reuse the custom content after the event? (Check the contract wording with your lawyer.)

FAQ

How far ahead should I send a script for a robot speech?

As early as possible, with a fixed freeze date agreed with the supplier. The time needed depends on the robot, the number of languages and how much testing the supplier does, and late edits usually mean a new quote version.

Can any humanoid robot learn a custom dance?

No. It depends on the model and version: Unitree lists secondary development as supported on the G1 EDU but not on the standard G1. Ask which version the supplier owns before you plan choreography.

Why can't new moves be loaded the day before the event?

New whole-body motions on legged robots are tested in simulation and with the robot suspended before they run freely; Unitree's own deployment guide starts with the robot hoisted. The real venue floor can also change how moves behave, so on-site rehearsal matters.

Do we need a licence for the music in a robot routine?

Possibly, if the music is played in public. Venues set their own rules – Messe Frankfurt requires GEMA permission at stands – and in Czechia OSA offers music licences, so check with the venue and the supplier.

Sources

How this guide was made: prepared with AI assistance; every factual statement was checked against the sources listed above on 12 October 2026. Spotted an error? Write to info@humanoid4rent.com.