Shanghai Kepler Robotics launched its latest humanoid robot, the Forerunner K2, at GITEX GLOBAL 2024. This new model represents advancements in Kepler’s lineup of humanoid robots aimed at industrial and commercial use, specifically designed for tasks in sectors like manufacturing, logistics, high-risk operations, and research. The Forerunner K2 introduces enhanced physical capabilities and advanced intelligence functions, reflecting feedback from over 50 potential customers and insights into industry-specific requirements.
Building on the foundation set by the Forerunner K1, released in 2023, the K2 offers extensive upgrades. Its software improvements include advancements in perception, task planning, full-body coordination, and autonomous learning, enabling the robot to operate more independently. The K2 integrates a cloud-based cognitive model with an embodied control system, using both imitation and reinforcement learning for skill acquisition. Enhancements in human-robot interaction algorithms and real-time data processing facilitate seamless remote operation and more effective collaboration with human users. Additionally, the robot’s stability and walking capabilities have been improved with optimized gait planning and control algorithms, allowing for more consistent performance in varied environments.
Kepler has also enhanced the K2’s hardware, refining elements such as the arm and leg assemblies, tactile manipulators, and the robot’s sensory capabilities. The robot’s manipulator is capable of handling loads up to 15 kg per hand, with each fingertip equipped with sensors comprising up to 96 contact points. This design enables detailed and flexible interaction with objects, while the new star-shaped wiring layout and a high-capacity 2.33 kWh battery support sustained operation for up to eight hours. Kepler has also integrated flexible charging solutions, including automatic charging options to accommodate extended work shifts. The K2 includes 52 degrees of freedom throughout its body, improving sensory perception and hand-eye coordination, and features a streamlined industrial design suited for practical blue-collar tasks.
Kepler CEO Hu Debo emphasized the strategic commercialization process, which involves initial deployments, specialized applications across verticals, and ultimately broader universal application. The K2 is currently undergoing testing in operational settings, performing tasks like material handling, inspection, and quality control, in partnership with selected customers. Kepler aims to continue refining the K2 through collaborations, intending to expand the adoption of high-intelligence, cost-effective humanoid robots in industrial applications.
As competitors like Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot also prepare for commercial-scale deployment, Kepler’s launch of the Forerunner K2 highlights a competitive phase in the humanoid robotics sector, signaling the acceleration of practical applications across various industries.
