Core Viewpoint - K-Scale Labs has launched the K-Bot, a low-cost open-source bipedal humanoid robot, emphasizing American manufacturing and aiming to democratize humanoid robotics through an open-source platform [1][23][36]. Group 1: Product Overview - The K-Bot is priced at $16,000 (approximately 114,644 RMB), with an early bird price of $8,999 (approximately 64,480 RMB) for the first 100 pre-orders, with shipments expected by November 2025 [1]. - K-Bot stands 1.4 meters tall, weighs 34 kg, and has a maximum payload of 10 kg, with a battery life of up to 4 hours [11]. - The robot features dual system architecture, utilizing reinforcement learning for movement control and a visual-language action strategy for advanced task execution [13]. Group 2: Company Background - K-Scale Labs, founded in early 2024 and headquartered in New York, has developed six humanoid robot models within a year, starting from a small garage-sized workspace [2][14]. - The company has received multiple rounds of funding, including $500,000 from Y Combinator and $4 million in seed funding, achieving a valuation of $50 million [14][16]. Group 3: Technical Features - The K-Bot is designed with open-source software and hardware, allowing users to access design documents and code [4]. - The upcoming product, Stompy, aims to lower the barrier to entry for robotics, featuring a fully open architecture that can be assembled using 3D-printed parts [6][8]. Group 4: Team Expertise - The team comprises engineers and robotics experts with experience from companies like Tesla and Meta AI, enhancing their capability in hardware and algorithm integration [18][22]. - The CTO, Paweł Budzianowski, has a PhD from Cambridge and has designed the core algorithm architecture for K-Bot, contributing to its advanced capabilities [21]. Group 5: Manufacturing and Supply Chain - K-Scale Labs emphasizes American manufacturing, although it sources components from Chinese suppliers, which has raised questions about the authenticity of its "Made in America" claim [23][27][33]. - The company collaborates with various Chinese firms for components, including Suzhou Maita Intelligent and Beijing Lingzu Times, to optimize costs and ensure production flexibility [22][33].

Core Viewpoint - K-Scale Laboratory has launched a new low-cost open-source bipedal robot, K-Bot, priced at $8,999, which aims to provide developers with a flexible research platform and reduce the burden of system configuration [2][3][19]. Group 1: Product Features - K-Bot is larger than the previously released Zeroth 01 Bot, standing at 1.40 meters and weighing approximately 34.9 kilograms, featuring a dexterous end-effector for enhanced flexibility and operational capability [3][19]. - The robot is equipped with 120N/m joint motors, ensuring precise and powerful movements, and utilizes a modular design for better customization and task adaptability [3][5]. - K-Bot's onboard computer supports complex machine learning applications, enabling the use of reinforcement learning (RL) control methods and advanced AI/ML models [3][5][6]. Group 2: Software and Development - The robot's system is developed using K-OS with Rust language, known for its speed and reliability, and includes a Python SDK for developer convenience [5][6]. - K-Sim, a high-performance reinforcement learning framework optimized for humanoid robots, is integrated into K-Bot, supporting GPU-accelerated training with sample processing speeds exceeding 100,000 per second [6][7]. - Strategies trained in simulated environments can be directly deployed to the physical robot without code rewriting, facilitating seamless transitions from simulation to real-world applications [7][19]. Group 3: Company Background - K-Scale Laboratory was established in early 2024 in New York and secured $500,000 in seed funding from Y Combinator, a prominent startup incubator [8][10]. - The team comprises experienced professionals from Tesla and Meta AI, with expertise in robotics and machine learning, including CEO Benjamin Bolte and CTO Paweł Budzianowski [10][12][14]. - The laboratory focuses on creating an open-source AI platform for robotics, aiming to democratize access to humanoid robot technology and attract more developers to the field [16][19]. Group 4: Future Plans - K-Scale Laboratory has expressed its ambition to enable the ownership of 1 billion humanoid robots worldwide and promote the widespread adoption of humanoid robot technology through its open-source platform [19]. - The K-Bot founder's edition is available for pre-order with a $100 deposit, with delivery scheduled for July 2025 [21].