Rocky Biped Humanoid Robot | SuperDroid Robots
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Rocky biped humanoid robot illustration
Rocky humanoid weight and balance reference
Direct-drive actuator module used on Rocky
Rocky biped humanoid robot illustration
Rocky humanoid weight and balance reference
Direct-drive actuator module used on Rocky

Rocky — 22-DOF biped humanoid

Rocky is a full-size biped built for locomotion research, controls development, and custom upper-body payloads. Each joint runs through one integrated quasi-direct-drive (QDD) actuator—the joint shaft is the motor output, with no external gearbox—so the mechanism you simulate is the mechanism on the lab floor.

The production chassis is machined aluminum. Rocky Lite uses the same actuation and electronics on a sheet-metal development frame with harnessing left accessible for bench work. Both ship from our shop in West Chicago.

At a glance

22 actuated joints
CM5 + CAN bus
Made in the USA

Platform

Standing height (nominal)~1.58 m
Pelvis height~1.11 m
Mass (class)~45 kg
Actuated DOF22 (waist ×2, legs ×12, arms ×8)
Structure (Rocky)Machined aluminum
Structure (Rocky Lite)Sheet metal, exposed harnessing
OriginMade in the USA; some imported components, including motors. NDAA-compliant.

Typical package

Included16 high-torque + 6 compact QDD modules, CM5 compute, 48 V battery, CAN harness, software bring-up support
ConfigureRadios, end effectors, and project accessories in the quote builder

Actuators and sensing

Rocky uses the same QDD module family as our Lynx high-torque leg drives. Modules talk over CAN at 1 Mbps. Each actuator carries dual 14-bit encoders; the torso includes an IMU for state estimation and balance work.

High-torque modules (×16)

Peak / rated torque120 N·m / 40 N·m
Max / rated speed200 rpm / 167 rpm

Compact modules (×6)

Peak / rated torque14 N·m / 5 N·m
Max / rated speed315 rpm / 100 rpm

Electrical

Bus voltage48 V nominal
Field busCAN 1 Mbps
EncodersDual 14-bit per actuator
IMUTorso-mounted

Compute and interfaces

Onboard compute is a Raspberry Pi CM5 with Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth—the same class of stack we use on Sierra, Lynx, and our other development platforms. That keeps your bring-up path familiar if you already run ROS 2 or a custom middleware on our legged hardware.

Electronics

ComputeRaspberry Pi CM5
NetworkingEthernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Power48 V lithium battery system
Control interfaceOpen torque/position paths for sim-to-real work

Walking research in the open

We publish training metrics and checkpoints from our biped locomotion stack—not as a sales demo, but so labs can see what the current controller does under disturbance. The live page runs the public policy in browser MuJoCo, refreshes training charts on a fixed cadence, and documents how scaffolded recovery fades out as policies mature.

Rocky learns to walk (live) — in-browser simulation, TensorBoard scalars we actually use to judge runs, and a plain-language methods note. It is not a physical robot livestream and it is not a claim that every failure mode is solved; it is the map of where the walking stack stands today.

Configure or join a batch

Rocky Lite

Sheet-metal dev chassis

Batch
  • Same 22-DOF layout and actuator ratings as Rocky
  • CM5 compute, 48 V battery, CAN harness
  • Exposed wiring for bench integration
  • Software bring-up support
  • Lead time follows batch production schedule

Rocky

Machined aluminum production chassis

Configure
  • 22-DOF biped with QDD modules
  • Radios and end-effector options
  • Project-specific accessories
  • Quote shows current lead time
Configure

20-DOF hands (batch)

Pair — human strength and speed

Batch
  • 20 degrees of freedom per hand system
  • Tuned for human-scale grasp force and cycle speed
  • Hand actuators: domestically manufactured motors (separate from Rocky leg/body modules)
  • Hand electronics sourced for adversary-free supply chains
  • Mounts to Rocky arms; sold as a batch buy separate from the biped

Rocky and Rocky Lite are built to order. Batch cards charge when production starts; configure paths show lead time in the quote tool.

Who Rocky is for

Rocky is a development humanoid, not a turnkey product demo. You get documented actuator limits, field-repairable mechanics, and hardware that matches what you put in simulation—without designing a biped from scratch.

  • Locomotion and balance
    Biped walking, push recovery, and whole-body control on hardware with an IMU and per-joint encoders.
  • Learning and controls
    RL and model-based stacks with open torque/position interfaces; see our live walking note for how we train and publish policies.
  • Payloads and sensing
    Mount cameras, lidar, or custom end effectors on a full-size upper body when you are ready to move past legs-only experiments.
  • U.S. build
    Designed and assembled at SuperDroid in West Chicago with support from the same engineers who build our tactical and inspection robots.

FAQs

What is the difference between Rocky and Rocky Lite?
Same 22 actuators, encoders, CM5, battery, and CAN architecture. Rocky uses a machined aluminum production structure; Lite uses sheet metal and leaves harnessing exposed for faster bench access and lower cost.
Does Rocky walk out of the box?
Rocky ships as a hardware platform with bring-up support. Locomotion is your research stack—we document our own walking work publicly, but you should plan integration time for controllers, safety, and test fixtures.
What is a production batch?
A batch is a grouped build: we buy materials in quantity, manufacture a set number of identical configurations, and charge your card when that batch enters production—not when you reserve a slot.
Can I add hands later?
Yes. The 20-DOF hand batch is a separate add-on—not the same actuators as the biped legs and arms, which use imported motors among other imported parts. The hand batch targets domestically built motors and supply-chain-conscious electronics for the hand assemblies. Configure arm interfaces on the Rocky quote, or join the hands batch when it is open.
How does Rocky relate to the older pre-order humanoid page?
Rocky is the current 22-DOF biped development platform with specs aligned to our quote tool. Full-system configurations (additional DOF, bases, and accessories) are quoted per project rather than through a single fixed SKU.