AI & Humanoids

Kepler Forerunner humanoid robot may be heading for a workplace near you

Kepler Forerunner humanoid robot may be heading for a workplace near you
The Kepler Forerunner should enter production later this year
The Kepler Forerunner should enter production later this year
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The Kepler Forerunner should enter production later this year
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The Kepler Forerunner should enter production later this year
Among other applications, the Forerunner could be utilized in assembly line work or picking and sorting tasks
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Among other applications, the Forerunner could be utilized in assembly line work or picking and sorting tasks
Utilizing its hands, the Forerunner can lift and carry objects
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Utilizing its hands, the Forerunner can lift and carry objects
The Forerunner could conduct environmental testing in hazardous environments
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The Forerunner could conduct environmental testing in hazardous environments
One of the Forerunner's leg-moving roller screw actuators
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One of the Forerunner's leg-moving roller screw actuators
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What stands 178 cm tall (5 ft, 10 in), weighs 85 kg (187 lb) and has five-fingered hands with 12 degrees of freedom? That's right, it's the Kepler Forerunner humanoid robot, and it's set to debut next week at CES.

Manufactured by China's Kepler Exploration Robot Company, the Forerunner is designed to be a direct competitor to Tesla's Optimus robot. That said, it is a bit more expensive. Whereas the latest price estimate for the Optimus is less than US$20,000, the Forerunner ought to go for about $30,000.

One of the robot's big selling features are the proprietary planetary roller screw actuators in its arms and legs. These deliver up to 8,000 Newtons (1,798 pound-force) of thrust to the elbow, knee and ankle joints.

According to Kepler, these actuators "surpass conventional motors in delivering precision control, enhanced power and quick responsiveness, adeptly handling complex tasks." Custom rotary actuators move the waist and shoulder joints.

One of the Forerunner's leg-moving roller screw actuators
One of the Forerunner's leg-moving roller screw actuators

The Forerunner perceives its surroundings via a group of sensors located in its head. These devices include a wide-angle binocular camera, a far-field array of four microphones, an accelerometer and an AHRS (attitude and heading reference system). It can also speak to people via a synthetic voice module and stereophonic speakers.

All of the sensory data is processed via Kepler's proprietary Nebula AI system, reportedly allowing the robot to navigate complex environments and avoid obstacles while walking across uneven terrain. Its hands can both sense and gently grasp objects, plus they also allow the robot to pick up and carry heavy objects – an exact lifting/carrying capacity hasn't been provided at this point.

Among other applications, the Forerunner could be utilized in assembly line work or picking and sorting tasks
Among other applications, the Forerunner could be utilized in assembly line work or picking and sorting tasks

According to Kepler, several versions of the Forerunner will be available, aimed at applications such as manufacturing, inspection, high-risk tasks, outdoor work, plus robotics research and education.

Production and shipping should commence in the third quarter of this year. You can see the robot in action, in a video on the company website linked below.

Source: Kepler

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4 comments
4 comments
Smokey_Bear
You weren't kidding, they are copying Tesla HARD.
To bad for them, Tesla's newest gen 2, already makes theirs look obsolete.
While they are clearly behind many other companies, it doesn't look terrible, most companies have tennis ball hands.
I thought 2024 would be the year of the humanoid robot...and that becomes more obvious all the time, it seems every week a new company shows off their humanoid robot.
Robert in Vancouver
It's likely a lot of companies and governments won't buy robots made in China or by Chinese companies due to security risks. They will likely buy Tesla robots.
Nelson
Technology gives on man the abilities of a thousand men and then burdens the Earth with the thousand men it just made obsolete.
ljaques
Having just read The Monroe Doctrine book series by Rosone and Watson, this gives me an eerie feeling. ;) At least they're not TKs.
I give the Optimus 2 from Tesla at least a 100:1 better odds of sales domination within a year of release. Life is getting interesting.