Booster K1 Humanoid Robot: Price, Specs & Where to Buy

Booster K1 Humanoid Robot: Price, Specs & Where to Buy
🏆 RoboCup 2025 Champion

Booster K1 Humanoid Robot: RoboCup Champion Platform

Competition-validated humanoid robot for education, research, and robotics development. Winner of RoboCup 2025 KidSize Humanoid League. Available with US warranty and support.

US Price
$12,500
Degrees of Freedom
22 DOF
Height / Weight
95cm / 19.5kg
AI Computing
40 TOPS
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EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP PRICING

Where to Buy Booster K1 in the USA

Purchase the Booster K1 through K-Robotics, the authorized US distributor offering comprehensive warranty coverage, domestic shipping, and English-language technical support.

💰 BotInfo.ai Partnership Discount
3% automatic discount ($375 savings)
No code needed - applied at checkout
🛡️ US Warranty & Support
Comprehensive warranty coverage
English-language technical support
🚚 Domestic Shipping
Ships from US warehouse
2-4 week delivery timeline
✓ What's Included
K1 robot, remote control, charger,
transport case, documentation
Access Partnership Pricing at K-Robotics →

What is the Booster K1 Humanoid Robot?

The Booster K1 is a compact, 95-centimeter humanoid robot developed by Beijing-based Booster Robotics specifically for education, research institutions, and robotics competitions. Launched in October 2025, the K1 represents a new generation of accessible humanoid platforms designed to lower the barrier to embodied AI development while maintaining research-grade capabilities.

At RoboCup 2025 in Salvador, Brazil, the K1 platform achieved remarkable validation when Germany's Boosted HTWK team won the KidSize Humanoid League championship, defeating the Chinese TH-MOS team 11-0 in the final on July 20, 2025. Both finalist teams used identical K1 hardware, making this a pure test of AI algorithms and software development - precisely the type of challenge the platform was designed to enable. The HTWK Leipzig team received their K1 robots in April 2025 and achieved world championship status just three months later, demonstrating the platform's rapid deployment capability and robust performance under competitive conditions.

Founded in August 2023 by engineers from Tsinghua University's Robot Control Lab and RoboCup team, Booster Robotics has shipped over 700 humanoid units globally, serving more than 200 clients across 20+ countries and 70+ universities and research institutions. The company's vision is to make humanoid robots "as simple, reliable, and practical as personal computers" - positioning the K1 as the accessible entry point to this ecosystem.

Key Advantages of Booster K1

RoboCup 2025 Champion Platform

Proven in world championship competition with 11-0 final victory

Exceptional Portability

19.5kg weight, fits in single carrying case for classroom/lab transport

On-Board AI Computing

40 TOPS NVIDIA Orin NX enables local neural network deployment

Open Development Platform

ROS2, Python, C++ APIs with Isaac Sim, MuJoCo, Webots support

Competition-Tested Durability

Validated by 30 hours continuous 500N impact testing

Comprehensive Ecosystem

Free action library upgrades, mobile app, OTA firmware updates

Booster K1 Pricing & Variants

Booster Robotics offers the K1 in three configurations to meet different research and education needs. All variants feature the same 22-degree-of-freedom hardware platform with identical mechanical specifications (95cm height, 19.5kg weight), differing primarily in computing power, battery life, and warranty coverage:

ENTRY LEVEL

K1 Geek Edition

$4,999-$5,999
  • 48 TOPS AI computing
  • 50-minute battery life
  • 3-month warranty
  • International pricing
MOST POPULAR

K1 Edu Edition (US)

$12,500
  • 40-117 TOPS AI computing
  • 80-minute battery life
  • US warranty & support
  • Domestic US shipping
PROFESSIONAL

K1 Pro Edition

Contact
  • 200 TOPS AI computing
  • 80-minute battery life
  • 1-year warranty
  • Advanced algorithm deployment

Choosing Between K1 and T1?

🏆 BOTH WON ROBOCUP 2025

Both Booster humanoid platforms won their respective RoboCup 2025 categories in Brazil, but serve different research needs and budgets:

BUDGET CHAMPION
K1 — You're Here!
$12,500
  • 2.7x cheaper than T1
  • 19.5kg ultra-portable
  • 40 TOPS AI computing
  • 40-80 min battery
  • STEM education optimized
  • RoboCup KidSize champion
PROFESSIONAL GRADE
$33,949
  • 200 TOPS AI (5x more)
  • 30kg professional build
  • 118cm adult-height reach
  • 2 hours battery (3x longer)
  • 130 N·m torque (2x more)
  • RoboCup AdultSize champion
View T1 Specs & Pricing →

Quick Decision Guide: Choose K1 if you need maximum portability, plan to purchase multiple units, or have budget constraints under $15,000. Upgrade to T1 if your research requires intensive AI workloads (multi-modal LLMs, real-time vision), extended battery life for continuous operation, or professional-grade specifications for advanced manipulation tasks.

Complete Technical Specifications

Specification Details
Physical Dimensions Height: 95cm (0.95m) | Weight: 19.5kg (43 lbs)
Degrees of Freedom 22 DOF total: Legs (6 DOF × 2), Arms (4 DOF × 2), Head (2 DOF)
Joint Range Hip: P -170° to 100°, R -23° to +90°, Y ±60° | Knee: 0° to 130° | Ankle: P -50° to 20°, R ±20°
Actuation System Full-force-controlled dual-encoder joints with hybrid torque/velocity/position control | Max knee torque: 60 N·m
Computing NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX 8GB | 40 TOPS AI inference (INT8) | 512 CUDA cores, 64 Tensor Cores | 10-25W power consumption
Sensors RGBD depth camera | 9-axis IMU | Microphone array | Speaker | Touch sensors
Battery & Runtime 40 minutes active use (Geek) | 80 minutes (Edu/Pro) | Hot-swappable battery
Connectivity Wi-Fi 6 | Bluetooth 5.2 | Gigabit Ethernet | 5G support (optional)
Software ROS2 compatible | Python & C++ APIs | TensorRT, CUDA, cuDNN support
Simulation Isaac Sim, MuJoCo, Webots, Gazebo support | Open-source RoboCup framework on GitHub
AI Capabilities On-board vision processing | TTS & ASR support | YOLO algorithm support | Edge LLM compatible
Portability Includes dedicated carrying case | Out-of-box ready | Remote control, charger, documentation included

Booster K1 vs. Unitree G1: Side-by-Side Comparison

The Booster K1 and Unitree G1 both target the education and research market as compact, budget-friendly humanoid platforms. However, the K1 offers significant cost savings at $12,500 compared to the G1's $16,000 base price—a $3,500 difference (22% savings). While the G1 provides longer battery life and slightly more computing power in its EDU configuration, the K1's RoboCup championship validation and exceptional portability make it compelling for budget-conscious institutions prioritizing proven competition performance.

Feature Booster K1 Unitree G1 Base
US Price $12,500 $16,000
Savings Save $3,500 (22%) Base price
RoboCup 2025 🏆 Champion Used by teams
Height 95 cm 127 cm
Weight 19.5 kg 35 kg
Portability ✓ Single case Larger form
Degrees of Freedom 22 DOF 23 DOF
Battery Life 40-80 minutes ~2 hours
AI Computing 40-200 TOPS 100 TOPS (EDU)
Best For Budget-focused education, RoboCup teams, portable labs Extended runtime needs, taller platform requirements

Bottom Line: The K1 delivers championship-proven performance at $3,500 less than the Unitree G1, making it ideal for educational institutions prioritizing portability, proven competition success, and budget efficiency. The G1's advantages in battery life and height may benefit specific use cases requiring extended runtime or taller stature, but the K1's RoboCup validation and exceptional value proposition make it compelling for most research and education applications.

Research Applications & Use Cases

The Booster K1's combination of accessible pricing, competition-validated hardware, and open development platform makes it suitable for diverse research applications across academic institutions, corporate R&D labs, and educational programs. With over 70 universities and research institutions already deploying Booster robots globally, the platform has demonstrated real-world viability across multiple domains.

🏆 COMPETITION PLATFORM

RoboCup & Robotics Competitions

The K1 won both first and second place at RoboCup 2025 in the KidSize Humanoid League, with Germany's HTWK Leipzig defeating China's TH-MOS 11-0 in the final. The platform's durability (30 hours of 500N impact testing), open-source framework, and proven competition performance make it ideal for teams preparing for RoboCup, WRC, and other international robotics competitions.

📚 EDUCATION

STEM Education & Curriculum Development

With SDK and Python/C++ APIs optimized for teaching, the K1 supports robotics education from K-12 through university level. Booster's "Hundred Cities, Ten Thousand Schools" initiative targets partnerships with 10,000+ educational institutions globally, providing comprehensive curriculum systems, competition frameworks, and teaching materials for classroom deployment.

🧠 AI RESEARCH

AI & Machine Learning Development

The 40 TOPS NVIDIA Orin NX enables on-board deployment of neural networks for vision processing, speech recognition, and motion planning without cloud dependency. Ideal for reinforcement learning experiments, sim-to-real transfer research (Isaac Sim, MuJoCo support), and embodied AI algorithm development. TensorRT, CUDA, and cuDNN support optimizes deep learning deployment.

🤝 HRI RESEARCH

Human-Robot Interaction Studies

Multimodal sensor suite (depth camera, microphone array, speaker, touch sensors) enables rich interaction research. The K1's child-sized form factor (95cm) and safe force-controlled joints make it suitable for educational HRI studies, assistive robotics research, and social robot development. Supports TTS (text-to-speech) and ASR (automatic speech recognition) for natural language interaction.

🚶 LOCOMOTION

Bipedal Locomotion & Gait Research

Full-force-controlled dual-encoder joints with hybrid torque/velocity/position control enable precise gait experimentation. Wide joint ranges (knee: 0-130°, hip: comprehensive 3-axis movement) support diverse locomotion research including walking, running, balancing, obstacle navigation, and terrain adaptation. Real-time IMU data enables balance control algorithm development.

👁️ PERCEPTION

Vision & Perception Research

RGBD depth camera provides 3D environmental perception for object recognition, obstacle detection, SLAM research, and visual navigation experiments. YOLO algorithm support enables real-time object detection. On-board 40 TOPS computing allows researchers to deploy custom vision models locally, facilitating multi-sensor fusion experiments and autonomous navigation research.

🔗 SWARM ROBOTICS

Multi-Robot Coordination

Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and 5G support (optional) facilitate multi-robot coordination experiments and swarm behavior research. ROS2 compatibility enables distributed robotic systems development. The K1's accessible price point makes it feasible to deploy multiple units for collaborative robotics research, team coordination studies, and distributed task planning experiments.

Ecosystem Support for Researchers

Booster Robotics provides comprehensive development support beyond hardware, including the Booster Agents platform for no-code embodied AI development, Booster GYM 2.0 simulation environment with integrated training tools, and an open-source RoboCup framework on GitHub with modules for vision, decision-making, and game control. The company guarantees 2-hour initial response for technical inquiries with solutions provided within 48 hours, plus ongoing OTA firmware updates and free action library expansions.

Open-source development framework
Free video courses & tutorials
Mobile app for remote control
Simulation integration (Isaac, MuJoCo)
ROS2 communication protocol
Modular hardware design

Is the Booster K1 Right for Your Institution?

Selecting the right humanoid platform depends on your specific research objectives, budget constraints, and institutional requirements. Use this decision framework to evaluate whether the Booster K1 aligns with your needs.

✓ Choose Booster K1 If You Need:

Budget-Conscious Platform Under $15K: At $12,500 with US warranty, the K1 saves $3,500 (22%) compared to Unitree G1 while maintaining research-grade specifications and proven competition performance.
RoboCup Competition Platform: The K1 won both first and second place at RoboCup 2025 KidSize league with 11-0 final victory, proving its competition readiness and durability under intensive use.
Maximum Portability: At 19.5kg with dedicated carrying case, the K1 easily transports between classrooms, labs, and events—ideal for mobile teaching programs and demonstration tours.
STEM Education & Curriculum Development: Python/C++ APIs, comprehensive SDK, free curriculum materials, and "Hundred Cities, Ten Thousand Schools" ecosystem support make the K1 optimized for educational deployment.
Multi-Unit Research Deployments: The accessible price point makes deploying multiple K1 units feasible for swarm robotics, multi-agent coordination, and team-based research projects.
On-Board AI Computing Without Cloud: 40 TOPS NVIDIA Orin NX enables local neural network deployment for vision processing, speech recognition, and motion planning with 10-25W power efficiency.
Proven Durability & Support: Validated by 30 hours of continuous 500N impact testing, with guaranteed 2-hour response time for technical support and 48-hour solution provision.

⚠ Consider Alternatives If You Need:

Extended Battery Runtime (2+ Hours): The K1 Edu variant offers 80-minute battery life, while Unitree G1 provides ~2 hours. For applications requiring extended continuous operation without battery swaps, consider the G1 or higher-capacity variants.
Taller Humanoid Platform (120cm+): At 95cm, the K1 is optimized for portability and education. For research requiring standard countertop reach or adult-height interaction studies, consider the Booster T1 (118cm, $33,949, RoboCup AdultSize champion with 200 TOPS computing, 2-hour battery, and 50+ team adoption) for professional-grade capabilities, or Unitree H1 (180cm, $99,900) for full adult-height industrial applications.
Dexterous Hand Manipulation: The base K1 has 4-DOF arms without advanced hand manipulation. For fine motor manipulation research, consider Booster T1 with dexterous hands (6-DOF hands) or Unitree G1 EDU Ultimate with 7-DOF force-controlled hands.
Industrial/Commercial Deployment: The K1 is optimized for education and research. For industrial automation or commercial service applications requiring heavy payload capacity and extended duty cycles, consider Unitree H1-2 (73kg, 7-DOF arms) or commercial-grade platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Booster K1 cost?

The Booster K1 is priced at $12,500 USD through K-Robotics, the authorized US distributor, which includes comprehensive warranty coverage and domestic support. This represents a $3,500 savings (22% less) compared to the Unitree G1 base model at $16,000. International pricing starts at $4,999 for the K1 Geek Edition, though US buyers benefit from local warranty, English-language support, and faster shipping through K-Robotics. BotInfo.ai readers receive an automatic 3% partnership discount ($375 savings) when purchasing through our affiliate link.

Did the Booster K1 really win RoboCup 2025?

Yes. At RoboCup 2025 in Salvador, Brazil, the Booster K1 platform won both first and second place in the KidSize Humanoid League on July 20, 2025. Germany's Boosted HTWK team from HTWK Leipzig defeated China's TH-MOS team 11-0 in the final, with both teams using identical K1 hardware. This made the competition a pure test of AI algorithms and software—demonstrating the K1's capability as a research platform. Notably, HTWK Leipzig received their K1 robots in April 2025 and achieved world championship status just three months later, validating the platform's rapid deployment capability and robust performance.

What's the difference between K1 Geek, Edu, and Pro editions?

All three K1 variants share identical mechanical hardware (22 DOF, 95cm height, 19.5kg weight) but differ in computing power, battery life, and warranty. The Geek Edition ($4,999-$5,999) offers 48 TOPS AI compute, 50-minute battery, and 3-month warranty—ideal for hobbyists and basic education. The Edu Edition ($12,500 US pricing) provides 40-117 TOPS compute, 80-minute battery, and 1-year warranty with enhanced support for teaching and research. The Pro Edition features 200 TOPS compute, 80-minute battery, and 1-year warranty for deploying complex AI algorithms. K-Robotics offers a 40 TOPS Edu variant optimized for US academic institutions.

How does the Booster K1 compare to Unitree G1?

The K1 offers significant cost savings at $12,500 vs. $16,000 for the Unitree G1 base model—a $3,500 (22%) difference. The K1's key advantages include RoboCup 2025 championship validation, superior portability (19.5kg vs. 35kg), and proven durability through 30 hours of impact testing. The G1 provides longer battery life (~2 hours vs. 40-80 minutes) and slightly taller stature (127cm vs. 95cm). For budget-conscious institutions prioritizing portability, competition success, and proven educational deployment, the K1 delivers exceptional value. The G1 may better suit applications requiring extended runtime or taller platform height.

What warranty and support does K-Robotics provide?

K-Robotics provides comprehensive US warranty coverage, English-language technical support, and domestic customer service for all K1 purchases. Booster Robotics guarantees 2-hour initial response time for technical inquiries with solutions provided within 48 hours. The warranty period varies by variant (3 months for Geek, 1 year for Edu/Pro). Additional support includes OTA firmware updates, free action library upgrades, access to open-source development frameworks on GitHub, mobile app for remote control, and comprehensive SDK documentation for Python and C++ development.

How long does shipping take when ordering from K-Robotics?

K-Robotics ships from US-based warehouses with estimated delivery of 2-4 weeks from order placement. This represents significantly faster delivery compared to international shipping from China, which can take 6-8 weeks and may incur customs delays and import duties. Domestic US shipping eliminates customs complications, reduces transit damage risk, and provides clearer delivery timelines for institutional procurement planning. The K1 ships in a dedicated carrying case with all accessories (remote control, charger, documentation) included for out-of-box readiness.

What research applications is the K1 best suited for?

The K1 excels in seven primary research domains: (1) RoboCup and robotics competitions with proven championship performance, (2) STEM education and curriculum development from K-12 through university level, (3) AI/machine learning research with 40 TOPS on-board computing for neural network deployment, (4) human-robot interaction studies leveraging multimodal sensors and child-sized form factor, (5) bipedal locomotion and gait research using force-controlled joints, (6) computer vision and perception experiments with RGBD depth camera and YOLO support, and (7) multi-robot coordination with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and ROS2 compatibility. Over 70 universities globally have already deployed Booster robots for these applications.

Which universities and institutions are using the Booster K1?

Since its August 2023 founding, Booster Robotics has shipped over 700 units globally to more than 200 clients across 20+ countries, including 70+ universities and research institutions. Notable deployments include HTWK Leipzig (Germany) which won RoboCup 2025 with K1 platforms, Tsinghua University (China) which achieved runner-up status in KidSize league and championship in AdultSize with Booster T1, and dozens of other institutions participating in Booster's "Hundred Cities, Ten Thousand Schools" initiative. The company targets partnerships with 10,000+ educational institutions globally within the next three years, providing comprehensive curriculum systems, competition frameworks, and technical support for academic deployment.

What's the difference between Booster K1 and Booster T1?

The K1 and T1 serve different market segments with distinct price points and capabilities. The K1 ($12,500, 95cm, 19.5kg) targets education and budget-conscious research with exceptional portability and won RoboCup 2025 KidSize championship. The Booster T1 ($33,949, 118cm, 30kg) offers professional-grade specifications with 200 TOPS computing (5x more powerful), 2-hour battery life (3x longer), and won RoboCup 2025 AdultSize championship. The T1 provides higher payload capacity, greater torque (130 N·m vs 60 N·m), and advanced research capabilities suitable for complex AI workloads, while the K1 excels in classroom portability, multi-unit affordability, and rapid deployment. Choose K1 for STEM education, RoboCup KidSize teams, and budget-focused labs requiring multiple units; choose T1 for advanced research requiring maximum computing power, extended battery life, and professional specifications.

Ready to Deploy the RoboCup Champion Platform?

Purchase the Booster K1 through K-Robotics with exclusive BotInfo.ai partnership pricing. Automatic 3% discount ($375 savings) applied at checkout—no code required.

Price
$12,500
Partnership Discount
-$375
Your Cost
$12,125
Access Partnership Pricing at K-Robotics →

✓ US Warranty & Support • ✓ 2-4 Week Delivery • ✓ Includes Carrying Case & Accessories

Frequently Asked Questions

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Booster K1 Humanoid Robot: Price, Specs & Where to Buy

Booster K1 Humanoid Robot: Price, Specs & Where to Buy
🏆 RoboCup 2025 Champion

Booster K1 Humanoid Robot: RoboCup Champion Platform

Competition-validated humanoid robot for education, research, and robotics development. Winner of RoboCup 2025 KidSize Humanoid League. Available with US warranty and support.

US Price
$12,500
Degrees of Freedom
22 DOF
Height / Weight
95cm / 19.5kg
AI Computing
40 TOPS
Get Partnership Pricing - Save 3%
EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP PRICING

Where to Buy Booster K1 in the USA

Purchase the Booster K1 through K-Robotics, the authorized US distributor offering comprehensive warranty coverage, domestic shipping, and English-language technical support.

💰 BotInfo.ai Partnership Discount
3% automatic discount ($375 savings)
No code needed - applied at checkout
🛡️ US Warranty & Support
Comprehensive warranty coverage
English-language technical support
🚚 Domestic Shipping
Ships from US warehouse
2-4 week delivery timeline
✓ What's Included
K1 robot, remote control, charger,
transport case, documentation
Access Partnership Pricing at K-Robotics →

What is the Booster K1 Humanoid Robot?

The Booster K1 is a compact, 95-centimeter humanoid robot developed by Beijing-based Booster Robotics specifically for education, research institutions, and robotics competitions. Launched in October 2025, the K1 represents a new generation of accessible humanoid platforms designed to lower the barrier to embodied AI development while maintaining research-grade capabilities.

At RoboCup 2025 in Salvador, Brazil, the K1 platform achieved remarkable validation when Germany's Boosted HTWK team won the KidSize Humanoid League championship, defeating the Chinese TH-MOS team 11-0 in the final on July 20, 2025. Both finalist teams used identical K1 hardware, making this a pure test of AI algorithms and software development - precisely the type of challenge the platform was designed to enable. The HTWK Leipzig team received their K1 robots in April 2025 and achieved world championship status just three months later, demonstrating the platform's rapid deployment capability and robust performance under competitive conditions.

Founded in August 2023 by engineers from Tsinghua University's Robot Control Lab and RoboCup team, Booster Robotics has shipped over 700 humanoid units globally, serving more than 200 clients across 20+ countries and 70+ universities and research institutions. The company's vision is to make humanoid robots "as simple, reliable, and practical as personal computers" - positioning the K1 as the accessible entry point to this ecosystem.

Key Advantages of Booster K1

RoboCup 2025 Champion Platform

Proven in world championship competition with 11-0 final victory

Exceptional Portability

19.5kg weight, fits in single carrying case for classroom/lab transport

On-Board AI Computing

40 TOPS NVIDIA Orin NX enables local neural network deployment

Open Development Platform

ROS2, Python, C++ APIs with Isaac Sim, MuJoCo, Webots support

Competition-Tested Durability

Validated by 30 hours continuous 500N impact testing

Comprehensive Ecosystem

Free action library upgrades, mobile app, OTA firmware updates

Booster K1 Pricing & Variants

Booster Robotics offers the K1 in three configurations to meet different research and education needs. All variants feature the same 22-degree-of-freedom hardware platform with identical mechanical specifications (95cm height, 19.5kg weight), differing primarily in computing power, battery life, and warranty coverage:

ENTRY LEVEL

K1 Geek Edition

$4,999-$5,999
  • 48 TOPS AI computing
  • 50-minute battery life
  • 3-month warranty
  • International pricing
MOST POPULAR

K1 Edu Edition (US)

$12,500
  • 40-117 TOPS AI computing
  • 80-minute battery life
  • US warranty & support
  • Domestic US shipping
PROFESSIONAL

K1 Pro Edition

Contact
  • 200 TOPS AI computing
  • 80-minute battery life
  • 1-year warranty
  • Advanced algorithm deployment

Choosing Between K1 and T1?

🏆 BOTH WON ROBOCUP 2025

Both Booster humanoid platforms won their respective RoboCup 2025 categories in Brazil, but serve different research needs and budgets:

BUDGET CHAMPION
K1 — You're Here!
$12,500
  • 2.7x cheaper than T1
  • 19.5kg ultra-portable
  • 40 TOPS AI computing
  • 40-80 min battery
  • STEM education optimized
  • RoboCup KidSize champion
PROFESSIONAL GRADE
$33,949
  • 200 TOPS AI (5x more)
  • 30kg professional build
  • 118cm adult-height reach
  • 2 hours battery (3x longer)
  • 130 N·m torque (2x more)
  • RoboCup AdultSize champion
View T1 Specs & Pricing →

Quick Decision Guide: Choose K1 if you need maximum portability, plan to purchase multiple units, or have budget constraints under $15,000. Upgrade to T1 if your research requires intensive AI workloads (multi-modal LLMs, real-time vision), extended battery life for continuous operation, or professional-grade specifications for advanced manipulation tasks.

Complete Technical Specifications

Specification Details
Physical Dimensions Height: 95cm (0.95m) | Weight: 19.5kg (43 lbs)
Degrees of Freedom 22 DOF total: Legs (6 DOF × 2), Arms (4 DOF × 2), Head (2 DOF)
Joint Range Hip: P -170° to 100°, R -23° to +90°, Y ±60° | Knee: 0° to 130° | Ankle: P -50° to 20°, R ±20°
Actuation System Full-force-controlled dual-encoder joints with hybrid torque/velocity/position control | Max knee torque: 60 N·m
Computing NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX 8GB | 40 TOPS AI inference (INT8) | 512 CUDA cores, 64 Tensor Cores | 10-25W power consumption
Sensors RGBD depth camera | 9-axis IMU | Microphone array | Speaker | Touch sensors
Battery & Runtime 40 minutes active use (Geek) | 80 minutes (Edu/Pro) | Hot-swappable battery
Connectivity Wi-Fi 6 | Bluetooth 5.2 | Gigabit Ethernet | 5G support (optional)
Software ROS2 compatible | Python & C++ APIs | TensorRT, CUDA, cuDNN support
Simulation Isaac Sim, MuJoCo, Webots, Gazebo support | Open-source RoboCup framework on GitHub
AI Capabilities On-board vision processing | TTS & ASR support | YOLO algorithm support | Edge LLM compatible
Portability Includes dedicated carrying case | Out-of-box ready | Remote control, charger, documentation included

Booster K1 vs. Unitree G1: Side-by-Side Comparison

The Booster K1 and Unitree G1 both target the education and research market as compact, budget-friendly humanoid platforms. However, the K1 offers significant cost savings at $12,500 compared to the G1's $16,000 base price—a $3,500 difference (22% savings). While the G1 provides longer battery life and slightly more computing power in its EDU configuration, the K1's RoboCup championship validation and exceptional portability make it compelling for budget-conscious institutions prioritizing proven competition performance.

Feature Booster K1 Unitree G1 Base
US Price $12,500 $16,000
Savings Save $3,500 (22%) Base price
RoboCup 2025 🏆 Champion Used by teams
Height 95 cm 127 cm
Weight 19.5 kg 35 kg
Portability ✓ Single case Larger form
Degrees of Freedom 22 DOF 23 DOF
Battery Life 40-80 minutes ~2 hours
AI Computing 40-200 TOPS 100 TOPS (EDU)
Best For Budget-focused education, RoboCup teams, portable labs Extended runtime needs, taller platform requirements

Bottom Line: The K1 delivers championship-proven performance at $3,500 less than the Unitree G1, making it ideal for educational institutions prioritizing portability, proven competition success, and budget efficiency. The G1's advantages in battery life and height may benefit specific use cases requiring extended runtime or taller stature, but the K1's RoboCup validation and exceptional value proposition make it compelling for most research and education applications.

Research Applications & Use Cases

The Booster K1's combination of accessible pricing, competition-validated hardware, and open development platform makes it suitable for diverse research applications across academic institutions, corporate R&D labs, and educational programs. With over 70 universities and research institutions already deploying Booster robots globally, the platform has demonstrated real-world viability across multiple domains.

🏆 COMPETITION PLATFORM

RoboCup & Robotics Competitions

The K1 won both first and second place at RoboCup 2025 in the KidSize Humanoid League, with Germany's HTWK Leipzig defeating China's TH-MOS 11-0 in the final. The platform's durability (30 hours of 500N impact testing), open-source framework, and proven competition performance make it ideal for teams preparing for RoboCup, WRC, and other international robotics competitions.

📚 EDUCATION

STEM Education & Curriculum Development

With SDK and Python/C++ APIs optimized for teaching, the K1 supports robotics education from K-12 through university level. Booster's "Hundred Cities, Ten Thousand Schools" initiative targets partnerships with 10,000+ educational institutions globally, providing comprehensive curriculum systems, competition frameworks, and teaching materials for classroom deployment.

🧠 AI RESEARCH

AI & Machine Learning Development

The 40 TOPS NVIDIA Orin NX enables on-board deployment of neural networks for vision processing, speech recognition, and motion planning without cloud dependency. Ideal for reinforcement learning experiments, sim-to-real transfer research (Isaac Sim, MuJoCo support), and embodied AI algorithm development. TensorRT, CUDA, and cuDNN support optimizes deep learning deployment.

🤝 HRI RESEARCH

Human-Robot Interaction Studies

Multimodal sensor suite (depth camera, microphone array, speaker, touch sensors) enables rich interaction research. The K1's child-sized form factor (95cm) and safe force-controlled joints make it suitable for educational HRI studies, assistive robotics research, and social robot development. Supports TTS (text-to-speech) and ASR (automatic speech recognition) for natural language interaction.

🚶 LOCOMOTION

Bipedal Locomotion & Gait Research

Full-force-controlled dual-encoder joints with hybrid torque/velocity/position control enable precise gait experimentation. Wide joint ranges (knee: 0-130°, hip: comprehensive 3-axis movement) support diverse locomotion research including walking, running, balancing, obstacle navigation, and terrain adaptation. Real-time IMU data enables balance control algorithm development.

👁️ PERCEPTION

Vision & Perception Research

RGBD depth camera provides 3D environmental perception for object recognition, obstacle detection, SLAM research, and visual navigation experiments. YOLO algorithm support enables real-time object detection. On-board 40 TOPS computing allows researchers to deploy custom vision models locally, facilitating multi-sensor fusion experiments and autonomous navigation research.

🔗 SWARM ROBOTICS

Multi-Robot Coordination

Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and 5G support (optional) facilitate multi-robot coordination experiments and swarm behavior research. ROS2 compatibility enables distributed robotic systems development. The K1's accessible price point makes it feasible to deploy multiple units for collaborative robotics research, team coordination studies, and distributed task planning experiments.

Ecosystem Support for Researchers

Booster Robotics provides comprehensive development support beyond hardware, including the Booster Agents platform for no-code embodied AI development, Booster GYM 2.0 simulation environment with integrated training tools, and an open-source RoboCup framework on GitHub with modules for vision, decision-making, and game control. The company guarantees 2-hour initial response for technical inquiries with solutions provided within 48 hours, plus ongoing OTA firmware updates and free action library expansions.

Open-source development framework
Free video courses & tutorials
Mobile app for remote control
Simulation integration (Isaac, MuJoCo)
ROS2 communication protocol
Modular hardware design

Is the Booster K1 Right for Your Institution?

Selecting the right humanoid platform depends on your specific research objectives, budget constraints, and institutional requirements. Use this decision framework to evaluate whether the Booster K1 aligns with your needs.

✓ Choose Booster K1 If You Need:

Budget-Conscious Platform Under $15K: At $12,500 with US warranty, the K1 saves $3,500 (22%) compared to Unitree G1 while maintaining research-grade specifications and proven competition performance.
RoboCup Competition Platform: The K1 won both first and second place at RoboCup 2025 KidSize league with 11-0 final victory, proving its competition readiness and durability under intensive use.
Maximum Portability: At 19.5kg with dedicated carrying case, the K1 easily transports between classrooms, labs, and events—ideal for mobile teaching programs and demonstration tours.
STEM Education & Curriculum Development: Python/C++ APIs, comprehensive SDK, free curriculum materials, and "Hundred Cities, Ten Thousand Schools" ecosystem support make the K1 optimized for educational deployment.
Multi-Unit Research Deployments: The accessible price point makes deploying multiple K1 units feasible for swarm robotics, multi-agent coordination, and team-based research projects.
On-Board AI Computing Without Cloud: 40 TOPS NVIDIA Orin NX enables local neural network deployment for vision processing, speech recognition, and motion planning with 10-25W power efficiency.
Proven Durability & Support: Validated by 30 hours of continuous 500N impact testing, with guaranteed 2-hour response time for technical support and 48-hour solution provision.

⚠ Consider Alternatives If You Need:

Extended Battery Runtime (2+ Hours): The K1 Edu variant offers 80-minute battery life, while Unitree G1 provides ~2 hours. For applications requiring extended continuous operation without battery swaps, consider the G1 or higher-capacity variants.
Taller Humanoid Platform (120cm+): At 95cm, the K1 is optimized for portability and education. For research requiring standard countertop reach or adult-height interaction studies, consider the Booster T1 (118cm, $33,949, RoboCup AdultSize champion with 200 TOPS computing, 2-hour battery, and 50+ team adoption) for professional-grade capabilities, or Unitree H1 (180cm, $99,900) for full adult-height industrial applications.
Dexterous Hand Manipulation: The base K1 has 4-DOF arms without advanced hand manipulation. For fine motor manipulation research, consider Booster T1 with dexterous hands (6-DOF hands) or Unitree G1 EDU Ultimate with 7-DOF force-controlled hands.
Industrial/Commercial Deployment: The K1 is optimized for education and research. For industrial automation or commercial service applications requiring heavy payload capacity and extended duty cycles, consider Unitree H1-2 (73kg, 7-DOF arms) or commercial-grade platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Booster K1 cost?

The Booster K1 is priced at $12,500 USD through K-Robotics, the authorized US distributor, which includes comprehensive warranty coverage and domestic support. This represents a $3,500 savings (22% less) compared to the Unitree G1 base model at $16,000. International pricing starts at $4,999 for the K1 Geek Edition, though US buyers benefit from local warranty, English-language support, and faster shipping through K-Robotics. BotInfo.ai readers receive an automatic 3% partnership discount ($375 savings) when purchasing through our affiliate link.

Did the Booster K1 really win RoboCup 2025?

Yes. At RoboCup 2025 in Salvador, Brazil, the Booster K1 platform won both first and second place in the KidSize Humanoid League on July 20, 2025. Germany's Boosted HTWK team from HTWK Leipzig defeated China's TH-MOS team 11-0 in the final, with both teams using identical K1 hardware. This made the competition a pure test of AI algorithms and software—demonstrating the K1's capability as a research platform. Notably, HTWK Leipzig received their K1 robots in April 2025 and achieved world championship status just three months later, validating the platform's rapid deployment capability and robust performance.

What's the difference between K1 Geek, Edu, and Pro editions?

All three K1 variants share identical mechanical hardware (22 DOF, 95cm height, 19.5kg weight) but differ in computing power, battery life, and warranty. The Geek Edition ($4,999-$5,999) offers 48 TOPS AI compute, 50-minute battery, and 3-month warranty—ideal for hobbyists and basic education. The Edu Edition ($12,500 US pricing) provides 40-117 TOPS compute, 80-minute battery, and 1-year warranty with enhanced support for teaching and research. The Pro Edition features 200 TOPS compute, 80-minute battery, and 1-year warranty for deploying complex AI algorithms. K-Robotics offers a 40 TOPS Edu variant optimized for US academic institutions.

How does the Booster K1 compare to Unitree G1?

The K1 offers significant cost savings at $12,500 vs. $16,000 for the Unitree G1 base model—a $3,500 (22%) difference. The K1's key advantages include RoboCup 2025 championship validation, superior portability (19.5kg vs. 35kg), and proven durability through 30 hours of impact testing. The G1 provides longer battery life (~2 hours vs. 40-80 minutes) and slightly taller stature (127cm vs. 95cm). For budget-conscious institutions prioritizing portability, competition success, and proven educational deployment, the K1 delivers exceptional value. The G1 may better suit applications requiring extended runtime or taller platform height.

What warranty and support does K-Robotics provide?

K-Robotics provides comprehensive US warranty coverage, English-language technical support, and domestic customer service for all K1 purchases. Booster Robotics guarantees 2-hour initial response time for technical inquiries with solutions provided within 48 hours. The warranty period varies by variant (3 months for Geek, 1 year for Edu/Pro). Additional support includes OTA firmware updates, free action library upgrades, access to open-source development frameworks on GitHub, mobile app for remote control, and comprehensive SDK documentation for Python and C++ development.

How long does shipping take when ordering from K-Robotics?

K-Robotics ships from US-based warehouses with estimated delivery of 2-4 weeks from order placement. This represents significantly faster delivery compared to international shipping from China, which can take 6-8 weeks and may incur customs delays and import duties. Domestic US shipping eliminates customs complications, reduces transit damage risk, and provides clearer delivery timelines for institutional procurement planning. The K1 ships in a dedicated carrying case with all accessories (remote control, charger, documentation) included for out-of-box readiness.

What research applications is the K1 best suited for?

The K1 excels in seven primary research domains: (1) RoboCup and robotics competitions with proven championship performance, (2) STEM education and curriculum development from K-12 through university level, (3) AI/machine learning research with 40 TOPS on-board computing for neural network deployment, (4) human-robot interaction studies leveraging multimodal sensors and child-sized form factor, (5) bipedal locomotion and gait research using force-controlled joints, (6) computer vision and perception experiments with RGBD depth camera and YOLO support, and (7) multi-robot coordination with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and ROS2 compatibility. Over 70 universities globally have already deployed Booster robots for these applications.

Which universities and institutions are using the Booster K1?

Since its August 2023 founding, Booster Robotics has shipped over 700 units globally to more than 200 clients across 20+ countries, including 70+ universities and research institutions. Notable deployments include HTWK Leipzig (Germany) which won RoboCup 2025 with K1 platforms, Tsinghua University (China) which achieved runner-up status in KidSize league and championship in AdultSize with Booster T1, and dozens of other institutions participating in Booster's "Hundred Cities, Ten Thousand Schools" initiative. The company targets partnerships with 10,000+ educational institutions globally within the next three years, providing comprehensive curriculum systems, competition frameworks, and technical support for academic deployment.

What's the difference between Booster K1 and Booster T1?

The K1 and T1 serve different market segments with distinct price points and capabilities. The K1 ($12,500, 95cm, 19.5kg) targets education and budget-conscious research with exceptional portability and won RoboCup 2025 KidSize championship. The Booster T1 ($33,949, 118cm, 30kg) offers professional-grade specifications with 200 TOPS computing (5x more powerful), 2-hour battery life (3x longer), and won RoboCup 2025 AdultSize championship. The T1 provides higher payload capacity, greater torque (130 N·m vs 60 N·m), and advanced research capabilities suitable for complex AI workloads, while the K1 excels in classroom portability, multi-unit affordability, and rapid deployment. Choose K1 for STEM education, RoboCup KidSize teams, and budget-focused labs requiring multiple units; choose T1 for advanced research requiring maximum computing power, extended battery life, and professional specifications.

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Price
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Frequently Asked Questions

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