Intelligent 12-DoF hands
Kepler's official CES releases specify 12-DoF intelligent hands and up to 40 DoF across the body. [3][4]
Price & availability
target $30,000
Target · USD · OfficialOfficial — stated by the manufacturer or organizer
Original price: About US$30,000
Source: Kepler's humanoid robot makes grand debut at CES ↗ · Jan 3, 2024
Kepler's January 2024 releases gave approximately US$30,000 and an estimated US$20,000–30,000 retail range; final transaction prices are not published
Preorder open
Current dataset status: Preorder.
Kepler's current site shows a Buy Now route for K1 and lists sales contact details, but no public checkout price or delivery lead time. [6]
Other quoted prices
Historical, launch and third-party figures remain separated from the current price.
- target $30,000Jan 5, 2024 · Official
About US$30,000
Price and Q3 2024 shipping target reported at CES 2024; no shipments confirmed
Kepler's humanoid robot makes grand debut at CES ↗
Product overview
About Kepler Forerunner K1
Kepler released the Forerunner K1 in November 2023 and presented the Forerunner series at CES 2024. The official CES follow-up identifies three models—K1, S1 and D1—with shared dimensions of 178 cm and 85 kg. The body has up to 40 DoF and each intelligent hand is described with 12 DoF. Kepler positions the platform for manufacturing, logistics, inspection, hazardous work, research and education.
The K2 launch release retrospectively states that K1 has a 25 kg payload capacity and eight-hour battery life. Kepler's NEBULA system combines visual recognition, visual SLAM, multimodal interaction and hand-eye coordination with 100 TOPS of onboard compute. Reported head sensors include a binocular camera, four-microphone array, accelerometer and attitude and heading reference system. Kepler OS provides development interfaces, reference projects and online development tools.
At CES, Kepler said mass production and shipping were planned for the second half of 2024 at approximately US$20,000–30,000. Later sources confirm the K2 successor and its small-batch production but do not independently confirm K1 shipment volumes. Kepler's current site nevertheless still lists K1 with a Buy Now route and sales contact. The profile therefore uses preorder: the model remains publicly solicited, but general volume availability is not verified.
“The series consists of three distinct models: K1, S1 and D1, each standing at a height of 178cm (5'10") and weighing 85kg (187 lbs.).”
Capabilities
Key features
Head-mounted sensing
Sensors listed in the coverage are a binocular camera, a four-microphone array, an accelerometer and an AHRS. [1]
Nebula AI system
Kepler describes NEBULA with 100 TOPS of compute, visual recognition, visual SLAM, multimodal interaction and hand-eye coordination. [3][4]
Successor: K2
Kepler's K2 announcement identifies K1 as the preceding model and states K1's 25 kg payload and eight-hour battery life. [5]
Hardware profile
Specifications
Official — stated by the manufacturer or organizerReported — stated by a credible third partyEstimated — derived or approximate
Body
Mobility
Power
- Runtime
- 8 hOfficial — stated by the manufacturer or organizer[5]Battery life stated retrospectively in Kepler's K2 launch release; duty cycle not specified
Hands & Manipulation
- DoF per hand
- 12Official — stated by the manufacturer or organizer[3][4]Intelligent hand
- Payload
- 25 kgOfficial — stated by the manufacturer or organizer[5]K1 payload capacity stated retrospectively in Kepler's K2 launch release; carrying configuration not specified
Compute & Sensing
- Sensors
- Binocular camera, Four-microphone array, Accelerometer, AHRSReported — stated by a credible third party[1]Head-mounted sensors per coverage
Show unknown fields (5)
Mobility
- Maximum speed
- Not published
- Peak joint torque
- Not published
Power
- Battery
- Not published
- Charge time
- Not published
- Swappable battery
- Not published
Quick answers
Kepler Forerunner K1 FAQ
How much does Kepler Forerunner K1 cost?
Kepler Forerunner K1 is listed at target $30,000 (Target, official). The source also states About US$30,000. [3][4]
Can you buy Kepler Forerunner K1?
Kepler Forerunner K1 is available through an official sales inquiry rather than a public checkout page. [6]
How tall is Kepler Forerunner K1 and how much does it weigh?
Kepler Forerunner K1 is 178 cm tall and weighs 85 kg (Shared specification for the Forerunner K1, S1 and D1 models). [3][4]
How long does the Kepler Forerunner K1 battery last?
The stated runtime is 8 hours per charge; Battery life stated retrospectively in Kepler's K2 launch release; duty cycle not specified. [5]
How much can Kepler Forerunner K1 carry?
The listed payload is 25 kg; K1 payload capacity stated retrospectively in Kepler's K2 launch release; carrying configuration not specified. [5]
How many degrees of freedom does Kepler Forerunner K1 have?
Kepler Forerunner K1 has 40 listed degrees of freedom; Up to 40 whole-body DoF; Kepler does not clarify whether the figure includes both hands. [3][4]
Does Kepler Forerunner K1 have an open SDK?
Yes. Kepler Forerunner K1 is recorded as providing a public developer SDK or API. [3]
Who makes Kepler Forerunner K1?
Kepler Forerunner K1 is made by Kepler Robotics, based in China. [3]
What is the predecessor or successor of Kepler Forerunner K1?
Kepler K2 is its successor. [3]
Side by side
Compare Kepler Forerunner K1
Choose up to four robots for a sourced specification and price comparison.
Lineage
Model family
Evaluation footprint
Benchmarks & competitions
No benchmark embodiments or results reference this robot yet.
Related
Similar robots
Evidence
Sources
- [1]Chinese humanoid robot to fight Tesla Optimus (CES 2024 coverage) ↗Interesting Engineering · press · accessed Oct 8, 2026
- [2]Kepler debuts K2 humanoid robot ↗Interesting Engineering · press · accessed Oct 8, 2026
- [3]Kepler's humanoid robot makes grand debut at CES ↗Kepler Exploration Robot Co., Ltd. (via PR Newswire) · official · accessed Oct 8, 2026
- [4]CES 2024 spotlight: Kepler's humanoid robot launch ↗Kepler Exploration Robot Co., Ltd. (via PR Newswire) · official · accessed Oct 8, 2026
- [5]Kepler debuts Forerunner K2 humanoid robot ↗Shanghai Kepler Robotics Co., Ltd. (via PR Newswire) · official · accessed Oct 8, 2026
- [6]Kepler Forerunner series product page ↗Kepler Robotics · official · accessed Oct 8, 2026