Shanghai Kepler Robot showcased its Forerunner K2 “Bumblebee” humanoid robot at the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference & High-level Meeting on Global AI Governance, held in Shanghai from July 26 to 29. The company conducted an eight-hour livestream demonstration on July 27, marking what it described as the first continuous endurance broadcast by a bipedal humanoid robot.
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the K2 operated on a single charge, demonstrating a “one-hour charge, eight-hour operation” capability. Standing 175 cm tall and weighing 75 kg, the 52-degree-of-freedom robot performed a range of activities, including dance routines, game interactions, and precision sorting in simulated industrial environments.
Kepler attributes the endurance to a proprietary actuator system combining planetary roller screw actuators with rotary actuators in a series-parallel configuration. The design is intended to support high-load, high-precision movement while conserving energy. The company said the endurance target was chosen to align with typical industrial work shifts, aiming to enable continuous operation in logistics and manufacturing settings.
The exhibition featured four demonstration zones simulating logistics sorting, material handling, automotive manufacturing, and education or research. In each zone, a K2 unit carried out tasks such as lifting 30 kg payloads and sorting irregularly shaped packages. The robots are equipped with six-axis force wrists, 11-degree-of-freedom hands, and fingertip tactile sensors, providing millimeter-level precision and the ability to adjust grip in real time.
Kepler said the K2’s control system integrates perception, decision-making, and execution functions, supported by multi-modal micro-models for auditory, tactile, force, and positional sensing. These micro-models are derived from larger AI models but optimized for specific industrial tasks.
The company announced that pre-sales have begun for the K2 “Bumblebee” in three configurations: Bipedal Basic, Bipedal Developer, and Wheeled Developer, starting at ¥248,000 ($ 34,600). Early purchasers will be eligible for an incentive program. Kepler stated that the launch marks its transition from research and development to commercial production, with plans to develop application solutions tailored to regional industrial standards.
