SUMMARY:

 

6RH5 (often referred to simply as RH5) is a full‑size, 2‑meter humanoid robot developed by the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). It features a series‑parallel hybrid leg architecture, 27 high‑performance electric actuators, 62 kg lightweight frame, Velodyne LiDAR, dual ZED Mini cameras, and whole‑body dynamic‑walking control. Designed for assistance in human‑optimized environments, RH5 supports autonomous, semi‑autonomous, and teleoperated modes, including exoskeleton‑based telepresence. 

 

EDITORIAL:

 

6RH5 is one of Europe’s most advanced humanoids — not because of flashy demos, but because of its mechanical architecture. DFKI’s hybrid series‑parallel leg design gives RH5 a rare combination of:

 

- High stiffness  

- Low mass  

- High torque transmission  

- Dynamic walking capability  

 

This architecture allows RH5 to perform fast dynamic walking, whole‑body trajectory optimization, and physically consistent locomotion using DDP‑based control — a level of control sophistication normally seen only in top‑tier research humanoids. 

 

DFKI’s long‑term vision is clear: humanoids that can operate in space habitats, lunar stations, and remote human‑optimized environments, with teleoperation via exoskeletons and VR‑based force feedback. RH5 is a platform built for serious research, not commercialization.

 

SPECIFICATIONS:

 

Dimensions & Build

- Height: 2000 mm (2.0 m)  

- Footprint: 360 × 750 mm  

- Weight: 62 kg  

- Power supply: 48 V (external power adapter)  

- Architecture: Series‑parallel hybrid (legs), lightweight high‑stiffness frame  

 

Mobility

- Locomotion: Bipedal walking  

- Max walking speed: 0.5 m/s  

- Control:  

  - Whole‑body trajectory optimization  

  - Differential Dynamic Programming (DDP)  

  - Contact‑stability soft‑constrained DDP  

  - Dynamic walking validated in simulation and hardware  

 

Degrees of Freedom & Actuation

- Actuators:  

  - 17 × BLDC RoboDrive + HarmonicDrive  

  - 10 × RoboDrive + Ballscrew  

  - 4 × Maxon  

  - 3 × Dynamixel  

- Joint sensing: Absolute angle sensors in every joint  

- Force sensing:  

  - ATI 6‑DOF F/T sensors at both wrists and both ankles  

  - Force sensors in linear leg drives  

 

(DFKI does not publish a total DOF count, but RH5 is a full‑body humanoid with head, torso, arms, and legs.)

 

Perception & Sensors

- Vision:  

  - 2 × ZED Mini stereo cameras (near‑field perception)  

- Mapping & localization:  

  - Velodyne VLP‑16 LiDAR  

- Inertial sensing:  

  - Xsens MTi‑300 AHRS IMU  

- Joint sensing:  

  - Absolute encoders  

  - Force sensors in linear actuators  

 

Compute & Control

- Electronics:  

  - DFKI custom motor‑control stack  

  - FPGA (Spartan‑6 XC6SLX45)  

  - 12–54 V input range  

- Control modes:  

  - Autonomous  

  - Semi‑autonomous  

  - Teleoperation via exoskeleton with VR force feedback  

- Software:  

  - Whole‑body control  

  - DDP‑based trajectory optimization  

 

Battery & Power

- Power: 48 V external supply  

- Battery: Not published  

- Runtime: Not published  

 

Connectivity

- LVDS communication for motor electronics  

- High‑bandwidth sensor data pipeline  

 

Applications

- Space‑mission robotics (lunar station assistance)  

- Human‑optimized environment operation  

- Dynamic locomotion research  

- Whole‑body control research  

- Teleoperation via exoskeleton  

 

PRICING

- Not commercially sold  

- Research platform only  

 

WHAT DFKI HAS NOT PUBLISHED

- Total DOF count  

- Payload per arm  

- Battery capacity  

- Torque curves  

- Commercial availability  

 

 

Image: @dfkiscientifichighlights

 

COMPANY SOURCE:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjGQNstmLvY&t=8s

 

KEY COVERAGE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjGQNstmLvY&t=8s