Atlas (Electric) vs Forerunner K1: Specs, Price & ROS Support Compared (2024)
Boston Dynamics (Hyundai) vs Kepler Robotics — independent, side-by-side analysis.
Quick Verdict
Atlas (Electric) leads in higher payload, while Forerunner K1 leads in more DOF. The two robots are evenly matched, each excelling in different areas.
Atlas (Electric)
Boston Dynamics (Hyundai)
Forerunner K1
Kepler Robotics
DNA Fingerprint Overlay
Atlas (Electric) Forerunner K1
Specifications
~$420,000 (enterprise estimate)Price$30,000
152 cmHeight178 cm
89 kgWeight85 kg
28DOF40
50 kgPayload25 kg
—Runtime8h
—Speed—
YesStairsYes
YesLiDARNo
NVIDIA Jetson ThorComputeN/A
Task Capabilities
?Pick up a box from shelf✓
?Open a door handle◔
?Pour liquid into cup◔
?Use a power tool◔
?Type on keyboard✕
?Climb stairs with load✓
?Walk on uneven terrain◔
?Run (>3 m/s)✕
?Crouch under obstacle◔
?Navigate in crowd◔
?Recognize & locate objects✓
?Respond to voice commands?
?Detect humans nearby✓
?Work 8-hour shift✓
?Hot-swap battery?
?Operate 24/7 (with charging)✓
?Work in rain (IP65+)✕
?Work below 0°C?
?Work in dusty environment?
?Work safely alongside humans◔
Ecosystem Openness
25
Atlas (Electric)
/100
—
Forerunner K1
NVIDIA Isaac (ROS2) but limited public access. Mostly enterprise.
Pros and cons at a glance
Atlas (Electric)
Pros
- High rated payload (50 kg) for industrial pick-and-place
- Ships with LiDAR for robust depth sensing in low-light environments
- 28 degrees of freedom — full-body articulation
Cons
- Still in development, no commercial availability
- Unit price not publicly disclosed (quote-on-request or enterprise-only)
Forerunner K1
Pros
- Shipping to customers (verified commercial availability)
- High rated payload (25 kg) for industrial pick-and-place
- Long runtime (8h per charge) for full-shift operation
- 40 degrees of freedom — full-body articulation
Cons
- Closed software stack — no public SDK or ROS support
Frequently asked questions
How do Atlas (Electric) and Forerunner K1 compare on price?
Atlas (Electric): ~$420,000 (enterprise estimate). Forerunner K1: $30,000. Only one of the two has a public unit price; the other publishes a range or enterprise-only terms.
Which has higher payload: Atlas (Electric) or Forerunner K1?
Atlas (Electric) rates a higher payload at 50 kg vs 25 kg. Payload ratings are vendor claims and do not always include a duty cycle — peak vs sustained payload can differ significantly.
Is Atlas (Electric) or Forerunner K1 actually available to buy?
Atlas (Electric) is in active development without commercial availability. Forerunner K1 is shipping to customers. Status reflects the vendor's published commercial position as of the last review and can change between announcement and actual delivery.
Which is better for ROS-based development: Atlas (Electric) or Forerunner K1?
Atlas (Electric) has ros2; Forerunner K1 has no ROS support. For research and multi-vendor robotics stacks, native ROS 2 is the strongest signal of ecosystem maturity.
Does Atlas (Electric) or Forerunner K1 use LiDAR?
Atlas (Electric) ships with LiDAR for depth sensing; Forerunner K1 does not. LiDAR adds cost and complexity but improves obstacle detection in low-light or low-contrast environments.
Last updated: 2024
Related Comparisons
Atlas (Electric) vs H2Unitree RoboticsForerunner K1 vs H2Unitree RoboticsAtlas (Electric) vs RAISE A1Zhiyuan RoboticsForerunner K1 vs RAISE A1Zhiyuan RoboticsAtlas (Electric) vs Forerunner K2Kepler RoboticsForerunner K1 vs Forerunner K2Kepler RoboticsAtlas (Electric) vs NEO1X TechnologiesForerunner K1 vs NEO1X Technologies