Robo Garage Co., Ltd
Kyoto-based humanoid robot studio founded by Tomotaka Takahashi in 2003; known for ROPID, EVOLTA, and Kirobo, Japan's first robot astronaut on the ISS.
Robo Garage Co., Ltd. is a Japanese humanoid robotics company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded in 2003 by Tomotaka Takahashi, a pioneering robot designer, as the first company to be incubated within Kyoto University's campus. Registered formally with the Japan Patent Office in 2005, Robo Garage has focused on designing small, lightweight humanoid robots characterized by fluid, expressive movement and a sleek aesthetic inspired by characters from animation and pop culture.
Tomotaka Takahashi developed a signature approach to bipedal locomotion, including the SHIN-Walk system and belt-link synchronized leg mechanisms that enable unusually smooth and rapid movement relative to the robots' compact size. The company's robots employ onboard gyro sensors and accelerometers for balance and voice-recognition chips with noise-cancelling capability for command input.
Key platforms developed by Robo Garage include: ROPID (2010), a 38 cm, 1.6 kg carbon-fiber humanoid with 29 degrees of freedom that can walk, run, jump approximately 3 inches off the ground, and respond to voice commands; EVOLTA (2008), a series of miniature robots created in partnership with Panasonic to demonstrate the endurance of EVOLTA alkaline batteries, completing endurance feats including scaling a 530-meter Grand Canyon cliff, running at Le Mans for 24 hours in 2009 (Guinness World Record for longest-lasting AA alkaline battery cell), and traveling 500 km from Tokyo to Kyoto in 2010; and Kirobo (2013), Japan's first robot astronaut, co-developed with the University of Tokyo and Toyota, designed for companionship and voice communication aboard the International Space Station, launched aboard JAXA's H-II Transfer Vehicle in August 2013 alongside Japanese ISS commander Koichi Wakata.
Robo Garage's work spans research, entertainment, and commercial partnership, with clients including Panasonic and JAXA. The studio is widely recognized as a creative force in humanoid robot design in Japan.
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
ROPID
- Model: ROPID
- Launch Year: 2010
38 cm bipedal humanoid with 29 DoF; walks, runs, and jumps; responds to voice commands via noise-cancelling chip.
Kirobo
- Model: Kirobo
- Launch Year: 2013
Japan's first robot astronaut; small humanoid for companionship and voice interaction aboard the ISS in 2013.
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Contact Robo Garage Co., Ltd
WEBSITE
http://www.robo-garage.comPHONE
-2327HEADQUARTERS
Japan
Company Facts
Founded
2003
Primary Role
Manufacturer
Company Size
-
Primary Region
Asia-Pacific
Annual Sales
-
Funding Stage
-
Funding Total
-
