Wheel-Based Humanoid Robots
Wheel-based humanoid robots combine the stability and efficiency of wheels with the versatility of a humanoid upper body, making them suitable for various applications such as logistics, customer service, and research. Below is a comprehensive overview of notable wheel-based humanoid robots, highlighting their developers, descriptions, applications, features, advantages, and disadvantages.
Note: This analysis is accurate as of the last modified date, "Aprl 6, 2025."
Overview of Wheel-Based Humanoid Robots
| Robot Name | Developer | Description | Application Scenarios | Features | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Reflex Robot (Website) | Reflex Robotics | A humanoid robot with a wheeled base and a humanoid upper body, capable of dynamically adjusting its height to access different shelves. | Warehouse picking, logistics operations | Reportedly costs 20 times less than other humanoid robots; supports remote control for complex tasks. | Cost-effective, suitable for budget-limited enterprises; remote control enhances operational flexibility. | May have limitations in load capacity and autonomy. |
| 2. Handle (Website) | Boston Dynamics | A research robot combining wheeled mobility with bipedal stance, equipped with two arms for handling and manipulating objects. | Warehouse material handling, industrial logistics | Moves at 9 mph, jumps up to 4 feet, battery life of approximately 15 miles. | Multi-modal mobility performs well in both flat and complex environments. | Focuses primarily on physical tasks, lacking human-robot interaction capabilities. |
| 3. ARI (Website) | PAL Robotics | A social robot with a humanoid appearance, featuring a head with LCD eyes, two arms, and a wheeled base, designed for human-robot interaction and front-desk activities. | Retail front desk, research institutions, educational environments | Capable of facial recognition, speaks 30 languages, provides information via touchscreen. | Strong interaction capabilities, customizable behavior through web interface, suitable for scenarios requiring high-level social interaction. | May have limitations in complex tasks and load capacity. |
| 4. Pepper (Website) | Softbank Robotics | A wheeled humanoid robot with a screen as its "face," adept at emotion recognition and customer service. | Customer service, retail interaction, educational assistance | Understands and responds to human speech, suitable for retail, healthcare, and education sectors. | Outstanding emotion recognition and multilingual dialogue capabilities in social robots. | Production ceased in 2021, potentially affecting future support and maintenance. |
| 5. HSR (Human Support Robot) (Website) | Toyota | A compact wheeled robot with a cylindrical body and folding arm, designed to assist the elderly and disabled with household tasks. | Home assistance, elderly care | Capable of tasks like picking up objects and opening curtains; high safety and reliability, suitable for home environments. | Functional design prioritizes utility over traditional humanoid aesthetics, which may affect user acceptance. | Limited to specific household tasks, may not be suitable for more complex applications. |
| 6. EVE (Website) | 1X Technologies | The first-generation wheeled robot developed by Norwegian company 1X Technologies, primarily used in logistics, retail, and security sectors. | Logistics, retail, security patrols | Flexible mobility and basic interaction functions. | Suitable for various commercial scenarios, agile movement. | Limited interaction capabilities, may not be suitable for scenarios requiring complex human-robot interaction. |
| 7. Walker X (Website) | UBTECH Robotics | A large humanoid robot with 41 high-performance servo joints, offering flexible movement and interaction capabilities. | Tour guidance, dance performances, calligraphy tasks | Engages in natural interactions and performs complex actions. | Suitable for exhibitions, education, and other fields; outstanding interaction and movement abilities. | Larger size may limit applications in confined spaces. |
| 8. RB-Y1 (GitHub) | Rainbow Robotics | A wheeled robot with a humanoid dual-arm manipulator mounted on top, utilizing a base for flexible movement. | Material handling, assembly, inspection, research experiments | 24 degrees of freedom, movement speed up to 1.5 m/s, operates for three hours per charge. | Flexible movement and operation capabilities, suitable for various industrial and research applications. | Primarily targeted at research institutions, with limited commercial applications. |
| 9. Expedition A2-W (Website) | Zhiyuan Robotics | A wheeled humanoid robot with a planned shipment of 100 units, suitable for various service and interaction scenarios. | Service, interaction | Wheeled design with humanoid features, planned for mass production. | Applicable to various service and interaction scenarios; mass production reduces costs. | Performance and application effectiveness await market validation. |
| 10. MercuryX1 (Website) | Elephant Robotics | A wheeled humanoid robot that has achieved mass production, with hundreds of units delivered. | Multi-scenario services | Wheeled design combining dual arms and visual applications, suitable for various service scenarios. | Successfully mass-produced with mature market application experience. | Future plans for X323 model have undisclosed performance details. |
| 11. GoMate (Website) | GAC Group | The third-generation embodied intelligent humanoid robot adopting a variable wheel-leg mobility structure. | Security patrols, complex terrain inspections | Faster speed and more stable mobility. | Adapts to various terrains, fast and stable movement. | Complex design may result in higher costs. |
Conclusion
Wheel-based humanoid robots represent a significant advancement in robotics, merging the efficiency of wheeled locomotion with the versatility of humanoid interaction. They are increasingly being integrated into various sectors, including logistics, customer service, and research, offering tailored solutions to meet specific needs. As technology continues to evolve, these robots are expected to become even more capable and accessible, further transforming the landscape of human-robot collaboration.
Last modified on: Aprl 6, 2025
General-Purpose Robot Models Analysis
Overview of recent works on general-purpose robot models, comparing key technical aspects and hardware/time requirements for training, fine-tuning, or distillation.
Robotic Sociology: Human-Robot Interaction and the Emergence of Machine Social Structures
Exploring the social dimensions of human-robot interaction and the potential emergence of machine societies through multi-agent systems.