KR1 is a wheeled mobile manipulator with a humanoid upper body, built by Kinisi Robotics to pick, place, sort and move goods in warehouses. The company was founded by Brennand "Bren" Pierce, a co-founder of Bear Robotics. In June 2026 Bear Robotics announced it would acquire Kinisi.
History and launch
Pierce founded Kinisi in late 2023 after academic work on humanoids, a stint at Samsung and co-founding Bear Robotics, the restaurant-robot maker. Early 2024 prototypes used a single arm on a wheeled base, with OpenAI's assistant as the logic layer driving the arm and gripper.
In July 2025 Pierce unveiled the KR1 (Kinisi 01): a two-armed, two-handed version on a mobile base, aimed at pick-and-place work.
Design and technology
KR1 has no legs. Pierce argues that about 80% of the jobs humanoids are pitched for do not need walking and warehouse floors are flat; a two-wheel base is cheap, dynamically stable and has room for big batteries. Interesting Engineering reports a 10 kg payload, up to 8 hours per charge, hot-swappable batteries and auto-docking. Processing runs on board rather than in the cloud.
Software and AI
The robot is trained by imitation: operators demonstrate a task instead of coding it. Experience from each unit is meant to feed a shared fleet-wide data flywheel. According to The Spoon, Kinisi has its own vision-language-action model and a robot foundation model for manipulation.
Applications and company
Target sectors are warehousing, logistics, fulfillment, retail and packaging; Pierce has also mentioned restaurant work and grocery box packing. No customers or prices have been disclosed.
Kinisi started inside Bear Robotics' Redwood City headquarters, and The Spoon describes it as a Bristol-based startup. In June 2026 Bear Robotics, majority-owned by LG since 2025, signed a definitive agreement to acquire Kinisi. On closing, Pierce is to become Bear's Chief Robotics Officer and keep leading the KR1 platform.
Timeline
- 2023 Brennand Pierce founds Kinisi Robotics
- 2024-10 Early single-arm prototypes on a wheeled base
- 2025-07 Two-armed KR1 unveiled
- 2026-06 Bear Robotics announces it will acquire Kinisi
Sources
- 5 questions with Kinisi Robotics founder Bren Pierce, The Robot Report (2024-10-04)
- Humanoid robot KR1 for warehouse operations, Interesting Engineering (2025-07-14)
- Bear adds humanoids to robot lineup with acquisition of Kinisi, The Spoon (2026-06)
Updated: 2026-10-10
Verification and limitations
This entry requires an up-to-date manufacturer specification check.
MERA field measurement report: not published. Demonstration footage and manufacturer specifications are not a MERA test under event conditions.
Data and provenance for AI agents ↗Compared with the catalogue
- It is one of 2 Kinisi Robotics models in the catalogue and one of 43 humanoids from USA.
Capabilities
Frequently asked questions
Does Kinisi KR1 walk?
No, it rolls on a wheeled base. The founder argues legs are unnecessary in warehouses.
What is the KR1 payload?
About 10 kg, according to Interesting Engineering.
How long does KR1 run on a charge?
Up to 8 hours, with swappable batteries and automatic docking.
Who acquired Kinisi?
Bear Robotics, the restaurant-robot company, announced the deal in June 2026.
How much does the Kinisi Robotics KR1 cost?
The manufacturer has not published a price for the Kinisi Robotics KR1. You can send a purchase enquiry through MERA Robotics.
Is the Kinisi Robotics KR1 available to buy?
Status: In development: the manufacturer has shown the robot but is not selling it openly yet.
How do I buy the Kinisi Robotics KR1 through MERA Robotics?
Click “I want to buy” or fill in the form on this page. MERA Robotics will reply whether and on what terms the model is available and can help deploy it with the MERA OS conversation system.
Data: Kinisi Robotics. Specs from the manufacturer; they may change, always confirm with the manufacturer before buying.
