LimX Dynamics has just added a new feature to their two-legged TRON1 robot – an optional robotic arm. This update could change how researchers study robots that can move around and pick things up.
What is TRON1?
TRON1 is a small robot that walks on two legs, similar to the AT-ST walker from Star Wars movies. It's made by LimX Dynamics, a Chinese company that started in 2005. The company is showing off this robot at a big robotics conference in Atlanta this week.
The robot recently won a 2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for its special design that allows different types of movement.
Why is the new arm important?
With the new arm attachment, TRON1 can now pick up items from the floor. This makes it useful for studying how robots can move around and handle objects – something scientists call "mobile manipulation."
LimX Dynamics says their robot is perfect for research labs because it works right out of the box and doesn't cost as much as other options. Researchers can use it to study:
- How robots move around spaces
- How to control the whole robot body
- How to plan robot movements
Other cool features
TRON1 has other optional attachments too. Researchers can add:
- An NVIDIA NX computing module that lets the robot understand voice commands
- Special cameras and sensors that help the robot see and map its surroundings
These features make TRON1 useful for education, studying how humans and robots interact, and helping robots find their way around places while avoiding obstacles.
LimX Dynamics is working toward creating "general-purpose robotics" – robots that can handle many different tasks instead of just one specific job. They're also researching artificial general intelligence (AGI), which means creating robots that can think more like humans do.
With these new features, TRON1 is becoming an even more valuable tool for scientists who want to create smarter, more helpful robots for the future.
