The Forerunner K2 ("Bumblebee") is Kepler Robotics' current-generation industrial humanoid — unveiled in October 2024 and, despite the sequential name, described by Kepler as its fifth-generation design. It builds on the K1 with major upgrades to perception, task planning, full-body coordination, and autonomous learning. Kepler positions the K2 as a "blue-collar" robot for demanding industrial environments, and claims the base model can perform work equivalent to roughly 1.5 full-time human employees.
Price Range
Kepler has cited a base-model price of around $30,000 for the K2 — a deliberately aggressive figure, supported by Kepler's claim that over 80% of the robot's core hardware is developed and built in-house for cost control. (Some third-party estimates run higher; Kepler's own stated target is the ~$20–30k band.)
| Basis | Figure |
|---|---|
| Kepler stated base-model price | ~$30,000 |
| Availability | In customer testing/early deployment; mass production underway |
| In-house hardware | 80%+ of core hardware built in-house (Kepler) |
Full Specifications
| Spec | Value (reported) |
|---|---|
| Height | ~1.75–1.78 m |
| Weight | ~75–85 kg |
| Degrees of freedom | 52 body DOF (plus 2-DOF rotating/tilting head) |
| Hands | Rope-driven five-digit hands, up to 11 DOF each; ~15 kg single-hand payload; fingertip sensors with 96 contact points |
| Sensors | 80+ integrated sensors |
| Onboard compute | ~100 TOPS |
| Battery | 2.33 kWh; ~8 hours continuous operation; direct and automatic charging |
| AI | Imitation and reinforcement learning; autonomous task sequencing |
| Target sectors | Intelligent manufacturing, logistics, high-risk operations, research |
Model Breakdown
The K2 is Kepler's flagship fifth-generation humanoid, the successor to the K1. Its upgrades concentrate on industrial readiness — integrated (more rigid, easier-to-maintain) limb structures, rope-driven tactile hands, an 8-hour battery, and a star-shaped wiring layout for faster servicing.
Buyer's Guide: What to Know
The K2 is built for industrial labor and priced for it. A ~$30,000 base price for a 52-DOF industrial humanoid is among the most aggressive in the market — Kepler's vertical integration is the reason.
The tactile hands are a real capability. Rope-driven 11-DOF hands with 96-contact-point fingertip sensors and ~15 kg single-hand payload make the K2 genuinely capable at manipulation and parts handling.
8-hour endurance suits real shifts. The 2.33 kWh battery with automatic charging is designed for sustained industrial use.
It is deployment-stage, not a finished mass product. The K2 has entered customer testing; confirm current availability and exact configuration directly with Kepler.
K2 vs Similar Robots
- K2 vs UBTECH Walker S: Both target industrial deployment; the K2 competes hard on price and battery life, the Walker S on its documented automaker factory record.
- K2 vs AgiBot A2: Both are commercially oriented Chinese industrial humanoids; the A2 brings triple certification, the K2 a very low base price.
- K2 vs Tesla Optimus: The K2 is purchasable at a stated ~$30k now; Optimus targets a similar price but is not on sale.
Source: Kepler Robotics
