Technology
New Chinese humanoid robot shows off its strength by lifting 35 pounds per hand
China’s Shanghai Kepler Robotics is making waves in the world of humanoid robotics with its innovative Forerunner series.
Its latest humanoid robot, the Forerunner K2, has quickly become a hot topic, showcasing Kepler’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of what robots can do.
With each new development, Kepler is not just keeping pace with the competition. It’s setting the stage for a future where humanoid robots play an integral role in our everyday lives.
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Forerunner K2 humanoid robot (Shanghai Kepler Robotics Co., Ltd)
Pioneering technology
The original Forerunner, now known as K1, showcased Kepler’s advanced technology, including proprietary planetary roller screw actuators, intelligent dexterous hands and the Nebula AI system. Standing at 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing 187 pounds, the K1 was designed to compete directly with other leading humanoid robots in the market.
Forerunner K2 humanoid robot (Shanghai Kepler Robotics Co., Ltd)
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The next generation: Forerunner K2
Building on the success of the K1, Kepler has introduced the Forerunner K2, representing the fifth generation of its humanoid robot technology. This latest model has undergone extensive software and hardware enhancements, tailoring it for commercial applications across various industries.
Forerunner K2 humanoid robot (Shanghai Kepler Robotics Co., Ltd)
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Advanced features and capabilities
The Forerunner K2 features an impressive 52 degrees of freedom throughout its body, allowing for more natural and fluid movements. Its rotating and tilting head module, combined with improved arm and leg rigidity, enhances its overall functionality and ease of maintenance.
One of the most remarkable features of the K2 is its dexterous hands. Each hand supports up to 11 degrees of active and passive freedom and can carry up to 33 pounds. The fingertips are equipped with sensor arrays, each containing 96 contact points, enabling precise object manipulation and tactile sensing.
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Forerunner K2 humanoid robot (Shanghai Kepler Robotics Co., Ltd)
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AI and software advancements
Kepler has significantly enhanced the K2’s vision system and navigation software, allowing it to better perceive and react to its environment in real time. The robot’s artificial intelligence capabilities have been expanded through a combination of embodied intelligence software, imitation and reinforcement learning and a cloud-based cognitive model.
These improvements enable the K2 to perform specific tasks autonomously and cooperate effectively with human operators. The robot’s stability and walking speed have also been improved through advancements in gait planning and control algorithms.
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Forerunner K2 humanoid robot (Shanghai Kepler Robotics Co., Ltd)
Commercial applications and future prospects
Kepler has positioned the Forerunner K2 as an ideal solution for various industries, including intelligent manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, high-risk operations and research and education. The company has already begun evaluating the K2’s performance in customer facilities, where it’s being used for materials handling, sample processing, patrol and inspection and quality control tasks.
With an estimated retail price range of $20,000 to $30,000, Kepler aims to make its humanoid robots accessible to a wide range of businesses. The company plans to commence mass production of its humanoid robots in the second half of 2024, positioning itself at the forefront of the industry.
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Forerunner K2 humanoid robot (Shanghai Kepler Robotics Co., Ltd)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Kepler’s Forerunner K2 is truly a game changer in the world of humanoid robotics, showcasing impressive advancements that hint at a future where these machines become commonplace in our workplaces. With rapid improvements from the K1 to the K2, it’s clear that Kepler is not just keeping pace but leading the charge in innovation. As these robots become more capable and affordable, we can expect to see them assisting us in various industries, from manufacturing to health care.
How comfortable are you with the increasing presence of humanoid robots like Kepler’s Forerunner K2 in everyday life and the workplace, and what concerns or benefits do you foresee? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
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Technology
Apple just had a record-breaking iPhone quarter
Apple says the iPhone had its “best-ever” quarter, with revenue hitting more than $85.3 billion over the past few months. The company announced the news as part of its Q1 2026 earnings report, which also revealed record-breaking revenue of $143.8 billion, up 16 percent when compared to the same time last year.
“iPhone had its best-ever quarter driven by unprecedented demand, with all-time records across every geographic segment, and Services also achieved an all-time revenue record, up 14 percent from a year ago,” Apple CEO Tim Cook says in the press release.
Apple’s services revenue, which includes subscriptions like Apple Music, iCloud, and Apple TV surged 14 percent year over year, while Mac and wearable revenue were down.
In the coming months, Apple will bring promised AI-powered personalization features to Siri. Apple is partnering with Google to power this upgrade, which will use a custom version of Google’s Gemini AI model.
The company is also acquiring an AI startup, called Q.ai, for $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. Though there aren’t any details on how Apple plans to use the startup’s technology, the Financial Times reports that Q.ai’s patents “show its technology being used in headphones or glasses, using ‘facial skin micro movements’ to communicate without talking.”
Technology
Humanoid robot makes architectural history by designing a building
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What happens when artificial intelligence (AI) moves from painting portraits to designing homes? That question is no longer theoretical.
At the Utzon Center in Denmark, Ai-Da Robot, the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist, has made history as the first humanoid robot to design a building.
The project, called Ai-Da: Space Pod, is a modular housing concept created for future bases on the Moon and Mars. CyberGuy has covered Ai-Da before, when her work focused on drawing, painting and performance art. That earlier coverage showed how a robot could create original artwork in real time and why it sparked global debate.
Now, the shift is clear. Ai-Da is moving beyond art and into physical spaces designed for humans and robots to live in.
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Ai-Da Robot is the humanoid artist that made architectural history by becoming the first robot to design a building. (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)
Inside the ‘I’m not a robot’ exhibition
The exhibition “I’m not a robot” has just opened at Utzon Center and runs through October. It explores the creative capacity of machines at a time when robots are increasingly able to think and create for themselves. Visitors can experience Ai-Da’s drawings, paintings and architectural concepts. Throughout the exhibition period, visitors can also follow Ai-Da’s creative process through sketches, paintings and a video interview.
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How Ai-Da creates art and architecture
Ai-Da is not a digital avatar or animation. She has camera eyes, specially developed AI algorithms and a robotic arm that allows her to draw and paint in real time. Developed in Oxford and built in Cornwall in 2019, Ai-Da works across disciplines. She is a painter, sculptor, poet, performer and now an architectural designer whose work is meant to provoke reflection.
“Ai-Da presents a concept for a shared residential area called Ai-Da: Space Pod, a foreshadowing of a future where AI becomes an integrated part of architecture,” explains Aidan Meller, creator of Ai-Da and Director of Ai-Da Robot. “With intelligent systems, a building will be able to sense and respond to its occupants, adjusting light, temperature and digital interfaces according to needs and moods.”
A building designed for humans and robots
The Space Pod is intentionally modular. Each unit can connect to others through corridors, creating a shared residential environment.
Through a series of paintings, she envisions a home and studio for humans or robots alike. According to the Ai-Da Robot team, these designs could evolve into fully realized architectural models through 3D renderings and construction. They could also adapt to planned Moon or Mars base camps.
Aidan Meller presents Ai-Da robot, the first AI-powered robot artist during the UN Global Summit on AI for Good, where they are giving the keynote speech, on July 7, 2023, in Geneva, Switzerland. (Johannes Simon/Getty Images for Aidan Meller)
While the concept targets future bases on the Moon and Mars, the design can also be built as a prototype on Earth. That detail matters as space agencies prepare for longer missions beyond our planet.
“With our first crewed Moon landing in 50 years coming in 2027, Ai-Da: Space Pod is a simple unit connected to other Pods via corridors,” Meller said. “Ai-Da is a humanoid designing homes. This raises questions about where architecture may go when powerful AI systems gain greater agency.” The timing also aligns with renewed lunar exploration tied to NASA missions.
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Why this exhibition is meant to challenge you
According to Meller, the exhibition is meant to feel uncomfortable at times. “Technology is developing at an extraordinary pace in these years,“ he said, pointing to emotional recognition through biometric data, CRISPR gene editing and brain computer interfaces. Each carries promise and ethical risk. He references Brave New World and warnings from Yuval Harari about how powerful technologies may be used.
In that context, Ai-Da becomes a mirror of our time. “Ai-Da is confrontational. The very fact that she exists is confrontational,” said Line Nørskov Davenport, Director of Exhibitions at Utzon Center. “She is an AI shaker, a conversation starter.”
Aidan Meller, British Gallery owner and specialist in modern and contemporary art, stands beside the AI robot artist “Ai-Da” at the Great Pyramids of Giza, where she exhibits her sculpture during an international art show, on the outskirt of Cairo, Egypt, Oct. 23, 2021. (REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany)
What this means for you
This story goes beyond robots and space travel. Ai-Da’s Space Pod shows how quickly AI is moving from a creative tool to a decision-maker. Architecture, housing and shared spaces shape daily life. When AI enters those fields, questions about control, ethics and accountability become unavoidable. If a robot can design homes for the Moon, it may soon influence how buildings function here on Earth.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
A humanoid robot designing a building once sounded impossible. Today, Ai-Da’s work sits inside a major cultural institution and sparks real debate. She offers no easy answers. Instead, she pushes us to think more critically about creativity, technology and responsibility. As the line between human and machine continues to blur, those questions matter more than ever.
If AI can design the homes of our future, how much creative control should humans be willing to give up? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Technology
Halide co-founder Sebastiaan de With is joining Apple’s design team
I’ve never been more optimistic about the future of Lux and Halide. Today we launched the public preview of Halide Mark III, and the reception is more positive than we possibly could have hoped.
As we mentioned in the announcement post today, we’ve been working with legendary team at The Iconfactory on Mark III. We’re also super excited to be collaborating with the renowned colorist Cullen Kelly on the new looks in Mark III.
Ten years ago I started Halide, and for ten years, I lead product, ran the business, and coded almost everything. Except for the paywall. I hate working on payment screens. But I built everything else, and design was always a collaborative experience.
So in short, Halide is going nowhere. This has been my full time job since 2019, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
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