Rainbow Robotics · South Korea · Wheeled base
RB-Y1
A Samsung-backed dual-arm wheeled manipulator that has become a favorite embodied-AI research base at top US universities.
$80,000
Verified last monthWhat is in the crate
3 included|4 not included
Hands sold separatelypriced by quote
A 2-finger gripper is an option, not standard: Rainbow's configuration table lists the gripper as optional, and its expansion page mentions dexterous-hand options without a published spec. It is a manipulation research platform.
In the crate
You still have to add
Day oneScripted dual-arm manipulation demos with a whole-body control API.
Reality check
It is a bring-your-own-AI research base: you get excellent dual arms on wheels and a dev kit, but no legs, no end effectors unless you add the optional gripper, and no autonomy until you build it.
Can you get one, and what will it cost?
A planning estimate with machine, freight, duty, and tax shown separately.
The maker does not currently deliver the RB-Y1 to the United States.
US authorization: We found no public FCC ID for this model. Since 28 July 2026 a foreign-made robot can be sold into the US only under an FCC authorization from before that date, so ask the seller for its FCC ID, or its Supplier's Declaration of Conformity dated before 28 July 2026, before you pay.
No delivered price: the maker does not currently ship the RB-Y1 to United States. Ask the concierge whether a sourcing route can be opened.
US shipments are on hold: Rainbow says the volumes scheduled for August and September 2026 could not ship under the FCC Covered List rule for foreign-made robots, and it is applying for the Conditional Approval that would let exports resume. Units already delivered to US labs (MIT, UC Berkeley, University of Washington, Georgia Tech) are unaffected.
Ask about a routeImport requirements for United StatesConformity, battery shipping, paperwork, and source documents. Review before ordering.
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Open the import referenceWhere to buy
Catalog checked 2026-10
Individuals and companies can inquire. Confirm the configuration, stock, and delivery with the seller.
Universities and companies order via Rainbow sales; pricing is quote-based rather than a retail cart.
Price notes: Rainbow's last officially published prices (2024 launch) are $80,000 for the research platform and $120,000 for the commercial platform, both excl. VAT; current pricing is quote-based (released 2024, shown at CES 2026). Development kit and omnidirectional-wheel option announced. In use at MIT, UC Berkeley, University of Washington, and Georgia Tech. Any $150,000+ figure circulating online does not trace back to Rainbow.
- Rainbow Robotics (direct) (opens in a new tab)
International seller
contact sales; quote-based. Last published: $80,000 research platform / $120,000 commercial platform (2024 launch).
Request a quote
Price not published
Prices remain in the seller’s listed currency. Tax, freight, options, and rental periods follow each seller’s terms. A seller’s region does not guarantee delivery to your address.
How the RB-Y1 rates
Editorial ratings based on listed specifications and sales availability. They do not measure task performance, autonomy, or reliability.
- Class
- Developer / demo platformA platform for demonstrations or robotics development. SDK access and supported tasks depend on the exact configuration.
- CapabilityHardware specification indicators
- 4/5
- Baseline: any humanoid+1
- Degrees of freedom: 24 DOF+1
- Dexterity: hands sold separately+0.75
- Scale: 140 cm tall+0.5
- Payload: 6 kg+0.25
- MaturitySales availability indicators
- 5/5
- How it sells: shipping now+4
- Buyer access: individual ordering route+1
Key specifications
Height
140 cm
Width
58 cm
Depth
66 cm
Weight
131 kg
Degrees of freedom
24
Battery
~180 min
Payload
6 kg
Top speed
1.5 m/s
Understand before you buy
Market activity
Full tracker- Rainbow Robotics halts US shipments of the RB-Y1 under the FCC robot ruleRegulation
Size to scale
Drawn next to a 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) person. Every robot on the site uses this same reference, so you can trust the comparison at a glance.
RB-Y1: 140 cm / 4 ft 7 in, 131 kg
Footprint: 58 cm wide x 66 cm deep
What it does on day onewith zero programming
Scripted dual-arm manipulation demos with a whole-body control API. Teleoperation and grasping depend on the options you order: Rainbow lists the gripper, the Tele-Op VR device and the touch pad and joystick as expansion options. No out-of-box task autonomy; bought as an embodied-AI research base, popular for imitation-learning datasets.
Best for: Manipulation and imitation-learning labs that want a stable wheeled dual-arm platform.
Documented uses
Robotics R&DManipulation researchTeaching / education
Rainbow presents the RB-Y1 as a research platform with an SDK and ROS 2, leader-arm or VR teaching to collect demonstration data, and lists Education and Research as a recommended industry.
Rainbow calls it a platform rather than a finished robot for one task: the gripper and VR teleoperation device are options, the leader arm is a separate device and no vision camera is provided.
Source reviewed 2026-10-05Assessment from published documentation, not an independent performance test. Applies to the configuration described above.
What it takes to developskills, gear, and SDK access
A robotics/ML team; SDK, simulator, and ROS support, plus a GPU workstation for learning-based control.
SDK access: Development kit with API and simulator (2025); more open than US B2B humanoids, though docs are partly Korean-first.
Sources and verificationchecked 2026-10
Sources
- The Korea Herald: Samsung's Rainbow Robotics halts US shipments of the RB-Y1 under the FCC robot rule (17 Sep 2026)
- The Robot Report: RB-Y1 dev kit + omni wheels
- Humanoid.guide: RB-Y1 specs/price
- Samsung Newsroom: Samsung becomes largest Rainbow Robotics shareholder
- RB-Y1 by Rainbow Robotics - Specs, Price, Reviews | HumanoidHub
- Rainbow Robotics RB-Y1 Review: Price & Specs [2026] | Robozaps
- Rainbow Robotics: RB-Y1 official product page (specs, V1.2 vs V1.3 configuration, options)
- Rainbow Robotics: RBY Expansion options (mobility bases, teleoperation devices, gripper)
Price and availability verified 2026-10. Spotted a change? Tell us and we fix the listing.
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