Rainbow Robotics, a South Korean company that started at a university research center, just announced big improvements to their dual-arm robot. At the same time, tech giant Samsung has become their biggest investor.
What's New with the RB-Y1 Robot?
Rainbow Robotics showed off two major upgrades to their RB-Y1 robot at a big robotics conference this week:
Better Wheels: The robot now has special "Mecanum wheels" that let it move in any direction – forward, backward, sideways, and even diagonally. This makes it much easier for the robot to work in tight spaces where regular wheels would get stuck.
Software Kit: They also released a development kit that makes it easier for researchers to customize the robot. The kit works with different parts like sensors, grippers, and navigation equipment.
What Does This Robot Look Like?
The RB-Y1 looks like the top half of a person mounted on wheels. It has:
- Two arms that can move in seven different ways each
- One leg that can move in six directions
- A wheeled base instead of legs for walking
- A torso that holds everything together
"This is Your Humanoid, Make it Perfect for Your AI Solution," is the company's slogan, and they mean it – the robot is designed to be easily changed for different research projects.
Who's Using These Robots?
Since the RB-Y1 was first shown in March 2024, some impressive customers have placed orders:
- MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
- UC Berkeley in California
- University of Washington
- Georgia Tech
- Various companies across different industries
The company is expanding in the United States through their Chicago office to help American researchers and developers.
Samsung Becomes the Biggest Owner
In December, Samsung Electronics increased their ownership of Rainbow Robotics to 35%, making them the largest shareholder. Samsung paid about $59 million for their stake and plans to make Rainbow Robotics a subsidiary.
Samsung believes that combining Rainbow's robot-building skills with their own artificial intelligence and software will help create smarter, more advanced humanoid robots.
Part of a Growing Trend
Rainbow Robotics isn't the only company getting attention in the humanoid robot space. Other recent partnerships include:
- Google DeepMind working with Apptronik
- OpenAI partnering with Figure AI
- Amazon Web Services teaming up with Realbotix
- Toyota Research Institute collaborating with Boston Dynamics
Why This Matters
The improvements to RB-Y1 and Samsung's investment show that humanoid robots are moving from science fiction to real research tools. With better movement capabilities and easier programming, these robots could soon help with everything from manufacturing to healthcare.
As Jungwoo Heo, Rainbow Robotics' chief technology officer, put it: "Our humanoid robot is purpose-built for AI researchers and developers." With major tech companies investing and universities placing orders, that purpose seems to be working.
