The 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference & High-level Meeting on Global AI Governance (WAIC 2025) recently showcased a groundbreaking achievement by Chinese robotics leader Kepler, whose Forerunner K2 “Bumblebee” humanoid robot successfully completed an unprecedented 8-hour livestream. This significant demonstration at the Shanghai event signals a major leap towards the real-world deployment of embodied AI in diverse industrial settings, redefining what is possible for robotics innovation and smart manufacturing.
For years, endurance limitations have been a significant barrier to the widespread real-world deployment of humanoid robots. However, Kepler’s Forerunner K2 “Bumblebee” has shattered this paradigm, establishing a new industry benchmark by becoming the first bipedal humanoid robot to achieve an 8-hour nonstop livestream. This remarkable feat highlighted its groundbreaking “1-hour charge, 8-hour operation” capability, solidifying its status as the “ultimate blue-collar robot” and setting a crucial new standard for sustained robotic performance.
The strategic selection of an 8-hour endurance benchmark directly addresses critical real-world industrial demands, meticulously balancing advanced technological feasibility with essential operational requirements. This capability is perfectly aligned with standard logistics and manufacturing shifts, enabling the Forerunner K2’s seamless integration into a “9-to-5 plus overtime” workflow. Such a milestone represents the vital trifecta of commercial robotics: scenario adaptability, technological optimization, and economic practicality, ultimately delivering an optimal balance between reliable performance and cost-effective deployment for industrial automation.
At WAIC 2025, Kepler transformed its exhibition space into four highly immersive demonstration zones, meticulously replicating real-world industrial environments. These included scenarios for logistics sorting, intricate material handling, advanced automotive manufacturing, and specialized education/research applications. Within each zone, four K2 “Bumblebee” humanoid robots executed precision tasks, convincingly proving their viability as a next-generation solution for the industrial workforce and pushing the boundaries of AI advancements.
Industrial applications inherently demand both formidable strength and unwavering stamina, challenges that the K2 Bumblebee effectively overcomes through its sophisticated roller screw actuator system. Capable of handling substantial 30kg (66 lb) payloads with fluid, coordinated movements, these biomimetic actuators—strategically positioned in its thighs, calves, and arms—deliver superior load capacity and rigidity compared to conventional ball screw systems. The in-house multi-thread contact design, seamlessly integrating lead screws, reducers, and encoders, enables unmatched performance in high-speed, heavy-duty industrial operations.
Precision remains another paramount requirement for effective industrial automation, and Kepler’s K2 “Bumblebee” delivers breakthrough performance in this critical area. The robot’s Nimble Master dexterity system, demonstrated at the conference, features six-axis force wrists, 11-DoF hands, and an impressive 25 force touchpoints per finger. Supported by an integrated rotary mechanism and advanced AI algorithms, the K2 achieves an astonishing 0.01-degree positioning accuracy and millimeter-level precision. Its human-like reflexive models enable instinctive adjustments, such as automatically modifying grip strategies when encountering sharp objects or slippery surfaces, ensuring reliable handling of even irregularly positioned items.
A significant highlight of the exhibition was the K2’s successful sorting of blind box gifts by color and labeling, a task notoriously challenging for conventional automation systems. While traditional robotic systems often struggle with soft, deformable packaging, the K2’s purpose-designed micro-models provided real-time tactile and force feedback, enabling flawless execution of this complex task. This demonstration powerfully underscored the humanoid robot’s superior capability in navigating real-world logistics challenges that typically necessitate human intervention, marking a pivotal moment for robotics innovation.
The fluid motion and advanced cognitive capabilities of the K2 “Bumblebee” are underpinned by its revolutionary tri-component system: embodied perception, embodied decision-making, and embodied execution, mirroring the functional synergy between the human brain and cerebellum. Kepler has strategically partnered with leading reasoning-based large language model providers to cultivate the system’s advanced “brain” capabilities. Complementing this robust cognitive foundation, the K2’s bionic architecture integrates multiple cameras and sophisticated sensor arrays, further empowered by Kepler’s proprietary precision perception micro-models that enable real-time embodied decision-making for optimal performance.
True to its mission of transforming industrial productivity through advanced robotic workforce solutions, Kepler has successfully validated the K2 “Bumblebee” in real-world applications with numerous industry partners. As the K2 “Bumblebee” transitions into mass production, Kepler is dedicated to developing region-specific application solutions tailored to local industrial standards and operational requirements, inviting strategic partnerships to co-create value and maximize the potential of humanoid robotics across global industries, thus spearheading new AI advancements in smart manufacturing.
