HELIOS

HELIOS is the four-arm humanoid prototype from Zurich-based Orbit Robotics — designed for microgravity operations and space research (interestingengineering). Rather than pursuing human-style walking, the platform uses four coordinated arms to move through station interiors, stabilise its body and position itself for work in tight orbital spaces.

Key specs: 160 cm tall, 28 degrees of freedom (14 in hands), 2 km/h top speed, ~3 h runtime per charge. Motors live near the shoulder joints to reduce moving mass + improve efficiency; force is transmitted through cables and spools that drive arm joints, creating a lightweight, compliant structure for delicate space operations. Elbow uses a rolling-contact joint for smooth, low-friction movement with strength + flexibility (newatlas).

Economics: every astronaut hour saved by HELIOS is reportedly worth $140,000 — the core ROI argument for the space-station market (thenextweb). HELIOS is not currently available for purchase and remains a prototype.