PAL Robotics has released a new video of its Kangaroo humanoid robot, demonstrating capabilities beyond balance and walking.
The one-and-a-half-minute video highlights the Barcelona-based company’s latest bipedal platform in action, giving researchers a peek into how the robot manages movement, strength, and stability.
Demo begins with the Kangaroo robot slowly extending its legs from a crouched position. As it rises, its arm motions contribute to the overall balance. The fluid movement appears as if the robot is flaunting its wide range of motion, moving in various directions.
The lift test starts when a person hands the robot a plastic storage container filled with houseplants. Without fingers, Kangaroo grips the box accurately and with the right amount of pressure while standing upright. The robot bends its knees, lowers the container, and then lifts it back up with precision.
Next, the robot performs similar squatting movements without the box at a faster pace. The video closes with the humanoid raising both arms overhead and a text overlay that reads: “Reach the limits.”
Visually, Kangaroo stands out for its minimalist design and an X on its chest. The robot appears headless, though a vision system is positioned above its torso where a head would typically be, resembling some earlier humanoid designs, particularly the old hydraulic atlas.
Designed for agility and research
According to PAL Robotics, Kangaroo has been developed as a research platform to study bipedal locomotion, movement, and jumping. The company describes it as dynamic, robust, and efficient, with customizable features to support academic and industrial investigations into humanoid mobility.
At 160 centimeters tall and weighing 40 kilograms, the robot offers 28 degrees of freedom and is powered by custom force-controlled linear actuators. These actuators, equipped with integrated force sensors, provide a fairly wide range of motion, speed, and torque at the joints. The system is supported by closed-loop force and torque controllers, allowing researchers to test different control algorithms.
The design places motors close to the body to improve efficiency and reduce energy use, while lightweight materials help minimize moving inertia. A decoupled leg length actuator separates vertical extension from hip swing motions, improving energy efficiency during locomotion. With in-house motor electronics and a Linux-ROS operating environment, the robot runs up to six hours on battery power.
Building on a history of humanoid platforms
Kangaroo joins PAL Robotics’ growing portfolio of platforms that serve different sectors of robotics. The company has previously introduced TALOS, a 1.75-meter humanoid capable of lifting six kilograms with a single extended arm, designed for high-performance bipedal tasks.
Its social robot ARI is tailored for human interaction, featuring expressive eyes, gazing behavior, and customizable gestures. In logistics, PAL’s TIAGo series and StockBot mobile platforms have been deployed for tasks ranging from manipulation to automated inventory tracking.
The release of Kangaroo marks PAL Robotics’ latest step in refining bipedal humanoid platforms. By moving beyond balance and walking demonstrations to include lifting tasks, the company is positioning the robot as a tool for exploring more complex aspects of human-like movement and strength.