RESEARCH ROBOTS

Learn About Research Robots

When we talk about research robots, we are looking at two main types:

Type 1: Specialized Robots for Research:

These robots are specifically designed and built for scientific research and experimental purposes. Typically, they are purchased and then used or modified to carry out various research tasks. They might be employed in testing new algorithms, conducting experiments, or gathering data in various environments to assist with research and development work.

Type 2: Robots Developed by Research Centers:

These robots are born from the creative minds and hard work of researchers around the world. They are developed in universities, R&D centers in organizations and companies, and government research facilities. These robots are often the product of cutting-edge research and development efforts, showcasing the latest advancements in robotics and technology.

Research robots are designed for use in various fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence, engineering, and biology. They explore new technologies, test hypotheses, and advance our understanding of complex systems. By pushing the boundaries of technology, these robots play a crucial role in contributing to scientific discoveries.

When comparing research robots to those used in industry, they are typically more affordable and versatile for various experimental purposes. Although they may not be as robust, durable, or high-performing as industrial robots, research robots are well-suited for a wide range of experimental tasks. For more intensive testing and experiments, higher-quality and more expensive research robots are also available.

As for robots developed in research centers, they are often created for prototyping. These prototypes are used to test new ideas and technologies. If successful and there is a market demand, these prototypes may be commercialized. This commercialization often happens in partnership with other organizations or as spin-offs from the original research institution.

Assuming we are considering research robots to be affordable and suitable for conducting research, here are some of their main qualities:

  • Affordability: Research centers often have limited budgets compared to larger companies, so budget-friendly robots are crucial.
  • Versatility: Designed to adapt to various experimental setups and research requirements.
  • Programmability: Highly customizable software or open-source options to run specific experiments and tests.
  • Durability: Built to withstand repetitive use and potentially harsh laboratory environments.
  • Sensor Integration: Capable of being equipped with advanced sensors to gather a wide range of data for analysis.
  • Modularity: Components can be easily swapped or upgraded to keep up with advancing research needs.
  • Computation: Equipped with adequate computational power to conduct research and run tests.



Research Robots - Arms

BionicCobot: Mimics Human Arm with Air-Powered Safety

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Tasks: Production, Manual Work, Service, Maintenance, & More

Updated: Jul 30, 2024

company logo for FESTO FESTO

Germany

Year: 2017

Woodpecker Tongue-Inspired Robot

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Tasks: Dexterous Manipulation, Grasping, Gripping

Updated: Jul 30, 2024

Kyushu University

Japan

Year: 2022

Inchworm Robot: Modular & Cost-Effective for Space Missions

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Tasks: Maintenance, repair, & scientific experiment in space stations & satellites

Updated: Jul 30, 2024

company logo for GITAI GITAI

United States of America

Year: 2016

SARA

Tasks: human-robot collaboration, Industry 4.0 applications

Updated: Jul 14, 2023

company logo for DLR DLR

Germany

Year: 2018

NIRYO Ned2

Updated: Jul 25, 2023

company logo for NIRYO NIRYO

France

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Research Robots - Flying & Space

RQ-4 Global Hawk: Sky’s the Limit—Or Is It?

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Updated: Dec 16, 2024

company logo for Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman

United States of America

Year: 2001

BionicSwift: Nature’s Wings, Perfected by Technology

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Tasks: Safe Aerial Acrobatics in a Flock, Aerial Mapping, Logistics

Updated: Nov 05, 2024

company logo for FESTO FESTO

Germany

Year: 2021

Dragonfly: NASA's Autonomous Rotorcraft to Explore Titan

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Tasks: Explore chemistry and habitability of Titan (Saturn's largest moon)

Updated: Jul 29, 2024

company logo for NASA NASA

United States of America

Year: 2019

eMotionButterflies - Butterfly Ballet in the Digital Age

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Tasks: Coordination and Collision-Avoidance in 3D, Transport, Inspection, ...

Updated: Oct 28, 2024

company logo for FESTO FESTO

Germany

Year: 2015

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Research Robots - Underwater & Aquatic

First Free-Floating Autonomous Underwater Construction Robot

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Tasks: Cement block transport, Autonomous underwater construction, Active ballast

Updated: Jul 30, 2024

Dartmouth College

United States of America

Year: 2022

BlueBoat: Navigating the Waters with Ease and Affordability

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Tasks: Hydrographic Surveys, Robotics System Development, Scientific Research

Updated: Jul 30, 2024

company logo for Blue Robotics Blue Robotics

United States of America

Year: 2023

BlueROV2: Affordable Underwater Drone to Explore the Depths

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Tasks: Inspections, Aquaculture, Adventure, Research, Exploration, & More

Updated: Jul 25, 2024

company logo for Blue Robotics Blue Robotics

United States of America

Year: 2016

Self-powered deep sea soft robot

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Tasks: deep sea exploration

Updated: Aug 07, 2023

Zhejiang University

China

Year: 2021

SoFi - The Soft Robotic Fish

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Tasks: Exploration of underwater life

Updated: Aug 07, 2023

MIT CSAIL

United States of America

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Research Robots - Climbing

Slalom: A Gecko-Inspired Robot with Lateral Body Undulation

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Tasks: Inclined Surface Climbing and Inspection, Search and Rescue, Exploration

Updated: Jul 30, 2024

Nanjing University of…

China

EJBot-II: Skid-Steering Propeller-Type Climbing Robot

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Tasks: Visual Inspection, Wall Thickness Measurement

Updated: Jul 29, 2024

Egypt-Japan Universit…

Egypt

Year: 2019

Wheeled Wall-Climbing Robot

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Updated: Aug 07, 2023

Sumitomo

Japan

Year: 2018

Magneto

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Tasks: maintenance, inspection, confined space entry, complex structures

Updated: Jul 30, 2023

company logo for CSIRO Data61 CSIRO Data61

Australia

Year: 2018

Quadruped Ladder Climbing

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Tasks: Vertical Ladder Climbing, horizontal-vertical-horizontal transition

Updated: Oct 20, 2023

company logo for TMU TMU

Japan

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Research Robots - Humanoids

AGIBOT RAISE-A1: From Concept to Reality in Just Six Months

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Tasks: Factory Work, Manufacturing Tasks, Household Chores, Logistics, & More

Updated: Aug 20, 2024

company logo for AGIBOT AGIBOT

China

Year: 2023

The All-Electric Atlas: From Hydraulics to Next-Gen Humanoid

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Tasks: Industrial Applications, Manufacturing, Logistics, Dexterous Tasks, & More

Updated: Jul 25, 2024

company logo for Boston Dynamics Boston Dynamics

United States of America

Year: 2024

Fourier GR-1 - Humanoid With an Emotional Touch

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Tasks: Rehab, Security, Manufacturing, Research & Education, and more

Updated: Sep 17, 2024

company logo for Fourier Intelligence Fourier Intellige…

China

Year: 2023

Kepler Forerunner: A Mechanical Marvel with a Human Touch

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Tasks: Research, Inspection, Production, Warehousing, Logistic, Outdoor, High-risk

Updated: Aug 18, 2024

Shanghai Kepler Explo…

China

Year: 2024

Hydraulic-Powered Atlas: Humanoid Marvel by Boston Dynamics

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Tasks: Research and Development, Whole-Body Mobility, Bimanual Manipulation

Updated: Jul 25, 2024

company logo for Boston Dynamics Boston Dynamics

United States of America

Year: 2013

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Research Robots - Wheeled / Tracked

Archie Jnr: The Rise of Autonomous Robotic Cane Pruning

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Tasks: 3D Visual Construction, 3D Models, Robotic Cane Pruning

Updated: Jun 11, 2024

University of Auckland

New Zealand

Year: 2023

Lunar Rover: Lunar Exploration & Infrastructure Development

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Tasks: Lunar Exploration, Lunar Infrastructure Development

Updated: Jul 29, 2024

company logo for GITAI GITAI

United States of America

Year: 2016

No Bees? No Problem! Meet the Robotic Kiwifruit Pollinator

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Updated: Jul 24, 2024

University of Auckland

New Zealand

Year: 2019

Perseverance: NASA's Autonomous Rover to Explore Mars

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Tasks: Mars Exploration, Life Detection, Astrobiology, Future Missions Preparation

Updated: Dec 04, 2024

company logo for Nasa Nasa

United States of America

Year: 2020

Archie Snr: The Robot Redefining Apple Fruitlet Thinning

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Tasks: Apple Fruitlet Thinning, Measuring Crop Load

Updated: Jul 25, 2024

University of Auckland

New Zealand

Year: 2023

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Research Robots - Legged

P1 Biped Robot: Two Legs are Enough to Redefine Mobility

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Tasks: Research and Development, Testing, Data Collection

Updated: Jun 26, 2024

company logo for LimX Dynamics LimX Dynamics

China

Year: 2024

W1 Wheeled Quadruped: Rolls on Wheels and Strides on Legs

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Updated: Jul 26, 2024

company logo for Limx Dynamics Limx Dynamics

China

Year: 2023

Unitree Consumer Quadrupeds: Your Affordable Companions

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Updated: Jul 26, 2024

Unitree

China

Year: 2020

Tencent's MAX Quadruped: Wheels Meet Legs in Perfect Harmony

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Tasks: Research and Development, Wheeled and Legged Locomotion, Complex Terrain

Updated: Jul 01, 2024

Tencent Robotics X Lab

China

Year: 2021

Lite3 Quadruped: Leaps, Flips, & Jumps Right Into Your Research

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Tasks: Research and Development, Education and Teaching, Conducting Experiments

Updated: Jul 08, 2024

DEEPRobotics

China

Year: 2023

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Research Robots - Exoskeletons

Wearable Exo-musculature Soft Robots

Tasks: restoring lost motor skills

Updated: Jul 22, 2023

company logo for WPI AIM WPI AIM

United States of America

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Research Robots - Soft

TentacleGripper: Secure, Soft, and Smart

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Tasks: Human-Robot Collaboration, Pick and Place

Updated: Nov 12, 2024

company logo for FESTO FESTO

Germany

Year: 2017

Caterpillar-inspired soft crawling robot

Tasks: bidirectional actuation, moving through narrow spaces

Updated: Jul 11, 2023

MIT

United States of America

Tentacle soft gripper robot

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Tasks: Grasping, gripping, object manipulation

Updated: Nov 04, 2023

company logo for Harvard Harvard

United States of America

Self-powered deep sea soft robot

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Tasks: deep sea exploration

Updated: Aug 05, 2023

Zhejiang University

China

Year: 2021

Salamanderbot

Tasks: traversal of highly cluttered environments

Updated: Jul 22, 2023

company logo for WPI Soft Robotics Lab WPI Soft Robotics…

United States of America

Year: 2020

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Research Robots - Small / Personal

CyberDog 2: Robot Companion with Cool Tricks and Moves

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Tasks: Robot Companion, Robot Pet, Research and Development, Education

Updated: Jul 04, 2024

company logo for Xiaomi Xiaomi

China

Year: 2023

Dingo: The Small But Mighty and Affordable Quadruped Robot

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Tasks: Research Platform, Research & Development, Testing & Experiments, Education

Updated: Jul 02, 2024

Monash University

Australia

Year: 2023

TurtleBot 4 Lite

Updated: Jul 12, 2023

CLEARPATH ROBOTICS

United States of America

TurtleBot 4 Standard

Updated: Jul 12, 2023

CLEARPATH ROBOTICS

United States of America

Furhat

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Updated: Jul 22, 2023

company logo for Furhat Robotics Furhat Robotics

Sweden

Year: 2011

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Research Robots - Other

A Robotic Solution to Kiwifruit Harvesting in New Zealand

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Updated: Jul 14, 2024

University of Auckland

New Zealand

Salamandra Robotica II

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Updated: Mar 08, 2024

company logo for Biorobotics Laboratory, EPFL Biorobotics Labor…

Switzerland

BionicSoftHand

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Tasks: gripping, holding, turning, pressing

Updated: Aug 05, 2023

company logo for FESTO FESTO

Germany

CLASH

Tasks: grasping, handling

Updated: Jul 14, 2023

company logo for DLR DLR

Germany

Robo-gripper grasps by reflex

Updated: Jul 10, 2023

MIT

United States of America

Year: 2023

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