Humanoid & robot atlas
Geminoid HI-1
Photo: Shervinafshar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
RetiredSucceeded by Geminoid F Japan

Osaka University · research humanoid

Geminoid HI-1

A seated, teleoperated silicone twin of roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro, with his own hair and his voice relayed live. Height is the reported 5 ft 9 in and weight 220 lb, converted.

Price
—Not published
Height
175 cmTaller than 73%
Weight
100 kgHeavier than 83%
Payload
—Not published
Speed
—Not published
Battery
—Not published
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Why it matters

First android built as an exact copy of a living person (its creator), used to study the feeling of human presence.

Real-world use

Used by Ishiguro for telepresence lectures and research; later Geminoids include F and DK.

Timeline

First shown
2006
Released
Not yet
Unveiled by Ishiguro, ATR and Kokoro

Maker

Osaka UniversityUniversity lab · Suita, Osaka, Japan

University research lab; ERICA was developed within the JST ERATO Ishiguro Symbiotic Human-Robot Interaction Project.

How it stacks up

Against other humanoids that publish the figure. Pick a measure.

  1. Geminoid HI-1ATR and Osaka University (Hiroshi Ishiguro) with Kokoro · 2006175 cm
  2. ARMAR-IIIKarlsruhe Institute of Technology (H2T, Tamim Asfour) · 2006175 cm
  3. EveR-2 MuseKorea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) · 2006170 cm
  4. EveR-1Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) · 2006160 cm
  5. RI-MANRIKEN Bio-Mimetic Control Research Center · 2006158 cm
  6. CB (Computational Brain) / CB-iATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories and JST ICORP, hardware by SARCOS · 2006155 cm
  7. CB2 (Child-robot with Biomimetic Body)Osaka University · 2006130 cm
  8. BanditUSC Interaction Lab and BlueSky Robotics · 200656 cm

Geminoid HI-1 is taller than 73% of the 305 other humanoids that publish a height. Bars show the 7 closest in date.

Height 175 cm 34 cm213 cm #60 of 306 · taller than 73%

Not published by the maker: speed, payload, joints, battery, price.

Public attention

A historic robot: no longer sold or in use, so it is not ranked against current humanoids.

  • No Wikipedia article of its own yet
  • 1 news story from reputable press listed on this page

Measures how much people read and write about a robot, not how good it is. Measured 2026-10-14; same method for every robot. How it is measured

What’s inside

The parts the company has talked about publicly.

Hands
simple
Movement
Stationary
Actuators & motors
50 pneumatic actuators: 13 in the face, 15 in the torso, 22 in arms and legs; driven by an external air compressor.
Sensors & vision
Tactile sensors; the operator station uses a microphone and a face-tracking camera to copy voice, lips and head movement.
Compute
External teleoperation unit and air-valve system.
Materials & build
Silicone rubber skin cast from Ishiguro, fibre-reinforced plastic skull, metal and plastic frame, urethane foam, and hair including Ishiguro's own.
AI & software
Windows with custom control and teleoperation software; adds idle motions such as blinking and breathing.
Other details
Seated, cannot walk; 60 kg.

Lineage

Every ATR and Osaka University (Hiroshi Ishiguro) with Kokoro humanoid in order.

  1. DB (Dynamic Brain)DB (Dynamic Brain)2000Retired
  2. RobovieRobovie2001Retired
  3. Actroid (Repliee Q1)Actroid (Repliee Q1)2003Retired
  4. No public photo yetWe only show photos we're allowed to useCB2 (Child-robot with Biomimetic Body)2006Retired
  5. Geminoid HI-1Geminoid HI-12006Retired
  6. Geminoid FGeminoid F2010Retired
  7. No public photo yetWe only show photos we're allowed to usePneuborn2011Retired
  8. ERICAERICA2015Research
  9. No public photo yetWe only show photos we're allowed to useAlter 32019Research

Watch Geminoid HI-1

Video: IEEE Spectrum on YouTube. Plays from youtube-nocookie.com when you press play.

Made, sold and where

Unit counts are usually company figures; analysts often disagree.

Price
Not published
How to get one
No official buying page found
Built
1
Sold or delivered
never sold
Where it is sold or used
Japan
Customers and pilots
Osaka University and ATR

News

The latest 1, newest first. Summaries are ours; tap through for the original.

  1. IEEE Spectrum profiles Ishiguro and his twin

    Spectrum reports years of tests in which volunteers held natural conversations with the teleoperated copy.

    IEEE Spectrum

Side by side with its peers

Picked by the same rules for every humanoid: another maker’s robot that moves the same way, is at the same stage and does at least one of the same main jobs, first shown within two years. Closer size and price rank higher. How we choose

Full comparison
MeasureGeminoid HI-1Geminoid HI-1ATR and Osaka University (Hiroshi Ishiguro) with KokoroNo public photo yetWe only show photos we're allowed to useBARTHOCBielefeld UniversitySame job: social · Both fixed in place · Both past robotsSimonSimonGeorgia Institute of Technology (Socially Intelligent Machines Lab)Same job: social · Both fixed in place · Both past robots
First shown200620052008
StatusRetiredRetiredRetired
Height175 cm——
Weight100 kg——
Joints———
Speed———
Payload———
Battery———
Price———

Sources

Figures come from press coverage. Every link below backs something on this page.

IEEE Spectrum Hiroshi Ishiguro: The Man Who Made a Copy of Himself IEEE Spectrum Meet Geminoid F, a Smiling Female Android Logo: ATR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Photos and logos only identify each robot and its maker. Simbeing is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsing any company, and nothing here is advertising. Figures are for statistics only and are not advice of any kind. Terms of use