Kepler Explorer K1 (officially: KEPLERBOT Forerunner K1) is a general-purpose humanoid robot developed by Kepler Exploration Robotics in China. The robot features a highly bionic body structure and motion system inspired by the human body, targeting industry, logistics, inspection, and home-assistance use cases.
The design relies on the proprietary KEPLERGEAR actuator system combining planetary roller screws (max load 8200 N, efficiency 81.3%) with rotary actuators delivering 220 N.m peak torque and 0.01-degree repeatable positioning accuracy. The robot features a slender 11-DOF (or 12-DOF per other spec) dexterous hand with tactile force sensing.
The perception system is built around computer vision (visual SLAM, object and face recognition), IMU sensors, and 6-axis force sensors. A 100 TOPS compute module runs the proprietary Nebula system (Kepler OS), which integrates motion control, vision, and voice interaction in a modular architecture supporting multi-robot collaboration and OTA updates.
K1 is available in three variants: bipedal (175/178 cm, 75/85 kg), wheeled (175 cm, 135 kg), and a Basic version with a reduced 30-DOF configuration. The platform is open to external developers via the Kepler Developer Platform.