Robots for research
Robots for university and corporate labs working on locomotion, manipulation and embodied AI.
What to consider
- Check SDK access and whether low-level joint control is available.
- Confirm the exact developer configuration; standard and EDU variants often differ.
- Budget for spares, safety equipment and a test area.
Humanoid · Standard
Unitree G1
A compact humanoid aimed at research and development.
Humanoid · EDU
Unitree G1 EDU
The developer configuration of G1, with additional joints and secondary development support.
Humanoid · Standard
Unitree H1
Unitree's full-size humanoid, built for dynamic locomotion research.
Humanoid · Standard
Unitree R1
A lightweight entry-level humanoid announced in 2025.
Humanoid · Standard
Booster T1
A compact open humanoid used in RoboCup and university research.
Humanoid · Standard
Fourier GR-1
Fourier's first general-purpose full-size humanoid.
Humanoid · Standard
Fourier GR-2
The second-generation Fourier humanoid with dexterous hands.
Social · V6
Aldebaran NAO V6
The long-established small humanoid for teaching programming and robotics.
Humanoid · Standard
DOBOT Atom
DOBOT's full-size humanoid, focused on manipulation tasks.
Quadruped · Air / Pro / EDU
Unitree Go2 Air / Pro / EDU
A compact robot dog, offered in consumer and developer editions.
Humanoid · Standard
Unitree H1-2
Full-size humanoid with seven joints per arm and six per leg.
Humanoid · Standard
Booster K1
Compact humanoid with Python and C++ development support.
Humanoid · Standard
Booster T2
Humanoid development platform with seven-joint arms and configurable end effectors.
Humanoid · Standard
UBTECH Walker X
Humanoid service platform with vision-based navigation and hand–eye coordination.
Humanoid · Standard
AGIBOT X1
AGIBOT’s full-stack open-source humanoid research platform.
Humanoid · Standard
AGIBOT X2
Base X2 humanoid, distinct from the more articulated X2 Ultra configuration.
Humanoid · Standard
ENGINEAI PM01
Humanoid with documented 2026 Education and Navigation configurations.
Humanoid · Standard
ENGINEAI SE01
Full-size humanoid built around human proportions and manufacturer-described human-like gait.
Humanoid · Standard
ROBOTIS OP3
Small ROS-based programmable humanoid research platform.
Humanoid · Standard
Figure Figure 03
Figure’s current humanoid positioned for household tasks.
Humanoid · Standard
Pollen Reachy 2
Open-source bimanual humanoid mobile manipulator for embodied-AI research.
Social · Standard
Pollen Reachy Mini
Expressive desktop companion platform supplied as a DIY kit.
Humanoid · Standard
AGIBOT A3
A full-size humanoid positioned for performances, interaction and development.
Humanoid · Basic / Development / Pro / Max
ENGINEAI T800 Basic / Development / Pro / Max
A full-size biped offered in several development and manipulation configurations.
Humanoid · Standard
UBTECH Walker C1
A full-size humanoid service platform for reception, events and customization.
Humanoid · Standard
UBTECH Yanshee
A small programmable educational humanoid built around Raspberry Pi.
Humanoid · Standard
Honda ASIMO
Honda’s historical bipedal humanoid research and demonstration platform.
Humanoid · Standard
Unitree H2
Full-size humanoid family with 31 joints and edition-dependent development access.
Social · Standard
Fourier GR-3
Full-size companionship-oriented humanoid with documented developer hardware.
Social · Standard
Hanson Sophia
Expressive humanoid social-robot family with an early Utility platform.
Humanoid · Standard
Toyota T-HR3
Historical teleoperated humanoid research platform announced in 2017.
Humanoid · Standard
NASA Valkyrie (R5)
Historical NASA electric humanoid developed for robotics research.
Relevant guides and comparisons
- Buying a humanoid robot in the UK
What to check before you buy: configuration, import, VAT, support and safety.
- Choosing a humanoid robot for a university
How research groups and teaching labs can match a platform to their work and budget.
- G1 vs G1 EDU: configuration before capability
Shared dimensions do not make standard G1 and G1 EDU interchangeable; joints, hands and development interfaces need configuration-level checking.
- G1 vs T1: two compact humanoids, different development packages
Compare the standard robots separately from their expanded hand and joint configurations.
- H1 vs G1: human-scale and compact Unitree platforms
Physical scale is clear in the manufacturer evidence; comparable task performance is not.
- GR1 vs GR2: verify the generation and hand configuration
Fourier’s developer material exposes GR1 configuration differences, while GR2 has a distinct published hardware and software package.
- NAO vs Pepper: compare interaction hardware and software generation
The accessible manufacturer documentation supports dimensional and interface comparisons, not current sales or support assumptions.
- Digit vs GR2: operational integration versus development scope
Agility describes an industrial automation solution; Fourier describes a humanoid development platform and toolkit. These are not equivalent procurement packages.
- Go2 vs B2: edition-specific development and industrial integration
Go2 configurations and B2’s industrial claims should be compared against a defined payload and site task, not headline demonstrations.
- R1 vs G1: current standard specifications and developer variants
Compare current standard R1 and G1 specifications, with developer configurations treated separately.