Shenzhen Xiao R Geek Technology (XiaoR GEEK) SamuRoid is a 22-DOF bionic humanoid robot based on a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. Aimed at researchers, educators, and robotics developers, it merges a traditional Robot Operating System (ROS) environment with advanced embodied AI capabilities.
Though the idea of SBC-powered humanoid robots isn’t new, with models like the Tonybot and PiMecha offering basic servo control and beginner-friendly programming, SamuRoid distinguishes itself with a more sophisticated configuration. It integrates hardware and software more tightly and supports multimodal interaction, incorporating vision, voice, and large language models. There’s also the Mini π robot, a simpler and larger bipedal model.
SamuRoid’s technical specifications include:
– SBC: Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (available with 4GB or 8GB RAM)
– Actuators: 22 XRS-series bus servos with ≥ 30 kgf · cm torque at 12V
– 2 for the head
– 2 for the shoulders
– 4 for the arms
– 2 for the hands
– 10 for the legs
– 2 for the feet
– Display: 0.96-inch OLED for IP address, battery level, status, and mode
– Camera: 1080p wide-angle on a 2-DOF gimbal (170° FOV, 180° Pan, 130° Tilt)
– Audio: Built-in USB Microphone for voice commands
– Connectivity: Dual-band 802.11 b/g/n/ac WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 (via Raspberry Pi 4)
– Sensors: MPU6050 6-axis gyroscope for self-balancing
– Expansion: PWR.ROSBOT.X board expands all 40 Raspberry Pi GPIO pins, supports 40+ modular sensors
– Miscellaneous:
– 3 buttons (for mode switch, function, self-check, or custom use)
– PS2 Controller input support
– Power: 12V/3,000mAh Lithium Battery, approx. 1-hour runtime
– Dimensions: 389.81 x 190.98 x 141.6 mm
– Weight: 2.3 kg
SamuRoid sports an aluminum chassis and high-voltage XRS-series servos (XR-S270 and XR-S15HV models) featuring metal gears and aluminum casings for cooling, along with protections against temperature, voltage, and stalling. Its dual-hip-joint “yaw” design allows for enhanced agility and more natural walking, complemented by mechanical hand grippers with overload protection for effective object manipulation.
A “Hurricane” cooling system stabilizes the Raspberry Pi under heavy computational loads. The robot uses an MPU6050 6-axis IMU to monitor posture in real time, leveraging an inverted pendulum algorithm for gait adjustments and recovery if toppled. At startup, self-diagnostics checks components like servos, camera, and IMU, with issues communicated via voice and visual alerts.
Running Ubuntu 18.04 with ROS Melodic, it remains a widely-used system for stable robotics learning despite its end-of-life status. Programmable via Python and C++, it’s compatible with RoboManager PC software or mobile app, allowing drag-and-drop motion programming. Preloaded with over 70 actions, including martial arts and dancing, the robot also supports various learning modules, from quick-start guides to OpenCV and LLM experiments. More software details and downloads are available on GitHub.
SamuRoid utilizes a 1080p wide-angle camera on a 2-DOF gimbal for vision tasks like line following, face recognition, and object sorting. Cloud-based LLMs (DeepSeek, Doubao, and Tongyi Qianwen) facilitate real-time interaction through voice, vision, and reasoning. The microphone and speaker enable the robot to comprehend commands, assess scenes, and engage in natural voice interactions.
The SamuRoid “Professional Edition” sells for $1,565.92 on AliExpress, with the Developer Edition ($1,794.54) and Flagship Edition ($2,019.10) listed but currently unavailable. The XiaoR GEEK store offers the base package for $1,072.55, including the assembled robot, charger, controller, SD card reader, and accessories.