Reachy 2

What it's for

Reachy 2 is not a classic humanoid but a mobile research torso. Its mounting height is adjustable from 136 to 166 cm, it weighs up to 50 kg, and it has two bio-inspired arms with 7 degrees of freedom each and a payload of about 3 kg, mounted on an omnidirectional wheeled base with LiDAR. It does not walk on legs: it is a wheeled platform. In return it is more open than almost anything else: ROS 2 Humble, a Python SDK and integration with Hugging Face's LeRobot. It also has a stereo camera and an RGB-D camera.

Embodied AI laboratory. A researcher collects data through teleoperation: guiding the robot's arms while the system records the motion to teach a model a task policy. Thanks to LeRobot, the whole cycle of collection, training and deployment happens in one ecosystem. This is the most important use and the main reason for Reachy 2's popularity. Research uses: “Laboratories”; model background: “VLA Models: How AI Controls Humanoid Robots in 2026”.

Manipulation and human-robot interaction (HRI). Two-handed manipulation and a head with cameras make it possible to study how a robot hands objects to people and how it reacts to gestures. This is a topic for cognitive psychology and computer science teams at universities; see universities.

Education. An open platform works well in master's-level robotics courses; a broader discussion is in “Educational Robots for Schools and Universities”.

Industrial prototypes. Companies can use Reachy 2 for early manipulation tests in factories before investing in sturdier platforms. The 3 kg payload sets the limit here: it suits light parts, not heavy logistics.

Who it's for

Best suited to: labs and universities working on machine learning in robotics, teleoperation and manipulation; teams that know ROS 2 and Python and value an open ecosystem over a "wow" effect; and centers that want to use LeRobot and the Hugging Face community.

A poor fit: companies looking for a robot that climbs stairs and runs a warehouse, since Reachy 2 rolls on wheels and has a 3 kg payload. We do not recommend it to plants that need a robot for heavy shift work or a ready-made out-of-the-box solution with service in Poland; there is no distributor here, and orders are taken by email through Hugging Face. For small schools and private individuals the 70,000 USD price is prohibitive; we cover cheap alternatives in “Educational Robots for Schools and Universities”.

Before you set up a robot with cameras in an open space, read about data: “Data Security: Robots with Cameras and the GDPR” (GDPR).

Deployments

Reachy 2 has no Polish distributor, and no list of domestic institutions using it. The manufacturer addresses it to labs working on manipulation and HRI.

In the Polish ecosystem it is worth looking at “Polish Robotics Companies” and “How to Start Learning Robotics in Poland”. Abroad, humanoids operate in logistics (Agility Digit, “Agility Digit in Warehouses”) and in the automotive industry (“Apptronik Apollo in Mercedes-Benz Factories”), among others. These are different classes of machine, but they show where the industry is heading. If you are only planning a lab, “How Does a Humanoid Robot Work” will help you understand which elements of a robot are key.

Unitree G1 EDU costs about 286,500 PLN (≈ EUR 65,650) and is a walking humanoid with hands for researchers; it costs a similar amount but offers a completely different function (locomotion). Details in “Unitree H1, G1, R1 and H2”.

SO-101 is an open arm from the LeRobot ecosystem; for beginners in imitation learning it is a starting point.

Trossen AI Stationary is a stationary two-arm platform for teams studying manipulation without mobility.

iCub is a European research humanoid from Genoa, priced at about 1.09 million PLN (≈ EUR 0.25 million), for institutes with a different budget.

Astribot S1 costs about 476,800 PLN (≈ EUR 109,260) and is a two-armed manipulator with a more commercial profile.

A single arm for industrial tasks can also be provided by a cobot, for example the UR5e (about 127,600 PLN (≈ EUR 29,240)); see cobots and “What Is a Cobot and How Does It Differ from an Industrial Robot”. The choice depends on whether you need walking, two-handed manipulation, or simply a cheap start in imitation learning. Reachy 2 wins on openness; the other platforms on mobility or price.

Pollen Robotics was founded in 2016 in Bordeaux, France. Reachy 2, the newer generation, reached the market as an open platform with ROS 2 Humble, a Python SDK and LeRobot integration. The price of 70,000 USD was publicly communicated in 2025.

In April 2025 Hugging Face acquired Pollen Robotics, as TechCrunch reported, which placed Reachy 2 in the LeRobot ecosystem. This is a significant moment: a company known for open AI models acquired its own hardware in order to teach machines in the real world. We have no data on plans for a successor, so we will not guess. Industry context: “Humanoid Robot Market Forecasts” and “VLA Models: How AI Controls Humanoid Robots in 2026”.