HUBO 2 is the second-generation HUBO humanoid robot, unveiled by KAIST's Professor Jun-Ho Oh in 2010 as a major upgrade over the original 2005 HUBO. It is frequently described as the world's first commercialized humanoid robot platform — the version of HUBO that, through Rainbow Robotics, became genuinely available to research institutions worldwide as a standardized product rather than a one-off lab build.
Availability
HUBO 2 was sold as a research platform to universities and research institutes via Rainbow Robotics (founded 2011 to commercialize HUBO). It is a research-grade humanoid — supplied to the academic market rather than offered as a consumer product, and priced by quote for institutional buyers.
Full Specifications
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Year | 2010 |
| Developer | KAIST (Prof. Jun-Ho Oh's HUBO Lab); commercialized via Rainbow Robotics |
| Type | Life-size walking bipedal humanoid research platform |
| Design | Modular, lightweight design; aluminum frame with plastic covers (a major upgrade over the original HUBO) |
| Distinction | Described as the world's first commercialized humanoid robot platform |
Significance
HUBO 2's importance is that it turned HUBO from a unique research prototype into a repeatable, available platform. Its modular, lightweight design made it practical to build, ship, and support multiple units — which is what allowed roughly 20 HUBO-series robots to end up in research institutions around the world. HUBO 2 famously made public appearances (including at a US Major League Baseball game) and demonstrated KAIST's growing humanoid capability ahead of the DARPA-winning DRC-HUBO.
HUBO 2 vs Related Robots
- HUBO 2 vs HUBO (KHR-3): HUBO 2 is the 2010 major upgrade — lighter, modular, and commercialized as a platform.
- HUBO 2 vs DRC-HUBO: DRC-HUBO is the later disaster-response evolution built to win the DARPA Robotics Challenge.
- HUBO 2 vs Unitree G1: Both are research-platform humanoids — HUBO 2 was the influential research robot of its era; the G1 is today's affordable, mass-produced equivalent.
Source: Rainbow Robotics
