The verified answer
As of Aug 2026, DEPLOY verifies DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics: 6 models. 1 source back the record.
CategoryQuadrupeds
Overview
DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics is the German Aerospace Center's robotics division in Oberpfaffenhofen, developer of the TORO (TOrque-controlled humanoid RObot) and David lightweight arm. DLR pioneered compliant torque-controlled manipulation and has contributed to space robotics including the DLR Hand and the European Robotic Arm.
Verified record
- Verified deployments
- None on file
- Active incidents
- None on file
Data & sources
Web sources
1
1 source backing this record.View all →
Models (6)
View all models →Current platform
Bert
Bert is a four-legged walking robot platform at DLR for researching highly dynamic and efficient running. It was used in the Surface Avatar ISS-to-Earth telerobotic experiments as part of a heterogeneous robot team commanded by astronauts from the International Space Station. Bert is also a platform for the M-Runners ERC Advanced Grant project on energy-efficient legged locomotion.
Current platform
MIRO
MIRO is a DLR surgical robot system based on a remotely controlled robotic arm, developed at the MIRO Innovation Lab. It fuses ultrasound with other imaging techniques for robot-assisted ultrasound diagnostics and automatic tissue examination. The technology was transferred to Covidien/Medtronic for commercialization. MIRO is DLR's competence center for medical robotics.
Current platform
AIMM
AIMM (Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulator) is a DLR robot system specializing in handling and transporting items in partially unstructured environments. It consists of a robot arm integrated on a mobile platform, suitable for manufacturing and automation tasks such as in laboratories. AIMM combines intelligent methods for perception, data processing, and path planning to complete tasks independently.
Current platform
SARA
SARA (Safe Autonomous Robotic Assistant) is a DLR lightweight robot forming the central component of a reconfigurable workstation. It can be quickly adapted to new products and individual orders. SARA is programmed through natural interaction with humans and language models. Demonstrated in grinding applications and bearing ring measurement at automatica 2025.
Current platform
Rollin Justin
Rollin Justin is a humanoid service robot platform first presented in 2008. Standing 1.91m tall and weighing ~200kg with 51 degrees of freedom, it features compliant lightweight arms, four-finger hands, and a mobile base for autonomous operation. Applications include household work, assisting astronauts in space, and teleoperation as an avatar. Successfully teleoperated from the ISS in the Surface Avatar and METERON SUPVIS Justin experiments.
Current platform
TORO
DLR's TOrque-controlled humanoid RObot, a research platform for bipedal walking, dynamics, and combined manipulation-locomotion behaviors.
DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics on the deployment map
View the global mapDLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics has no verified deployments on the DEPLOY registry yet. Explore the deployment map by place and type.
No verified deployments for DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics on the DEPLOY record yet. Track DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics to know the moment the first one is verified.
Relationships
Current leadership (3)
- Neal Y. Lii Scientific Director, Surface Avatar programsecondary-verified
- Alin Albu-Schäffer Director of the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronicssecondary-verified
- Christian Ott Senior Researcher, humanoid walking roboticssecondary-verified
Founders (1)
- Gerd Hirzingercofounderno longer at company
Former / Previously (1)
- Gerd Hirzinger Founder and Former Director of the Robotics and Mechatronics Centersecondary-verified
Safety record
No incidents on record for DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics.
Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.
Full safety record: incidents, sourcing, and exposure data →
Recent coverage
DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics in third-party press
Peer companies
- Roborock20 models
- Ecovacs Robotics19 models
- SharkNinja14 models
- Unitree Robotics10 models
- iRobot9 models
- DJI7 models
Financial state
- Reporting basis
- aggregator_estimate
- Lifecycle stage
- early
- Counterparty risk class
- unknown
Each numeric field carries its own basis marker. Aggregators report a number; this surface preserves the source class so verification depth travels with the value.
Funding rounds (2)
- ERC Advanced Grant - M-Runners2019-03-28
Investors: European Research Council (lead)
- ERC Consolidator Grant - NatDyReL2018-11-29
Investors: European Research Council (lead)
Timeline
Every recorded move in DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics’s history, most recent first: funding rounds, partnerships, acquisitions, supply-chain starts, key hires, and press.
Funding roundERC Advanced Grant - M-Runners funding round
2019-03-28ERC Advanced Grant - M-Runners
Funding roundERC Consolidator Grant - NatDyReL funding round
2018-11-29ERC Consolidator Grant - NatDyReL
Recent activity
Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.
- Record createdAug 9, 2026
Added to the verified registry
- Deployment verifiedVerifiedJul 1, 2023
Rollin Justin at International Space Station
Sources (1)
Common questions
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Is DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics safe?
Methodology: Verified · 1 source (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-08-21
Verification posture
Verified
Low confidence
Review state
Stable
Last reviewed 2026-08-21
Sources by quality tier
- 1
- unclassified
- Unclassified source
The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.
Methodology surface for DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics.Peer companies
- Roborock20 models
- Ecovacs Robotics19 models
- SharkNinja14 models
- Unitree Robotics10 models
- iRobot9 models
- DJI7 models
In the press
Recent coverage mentioning DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics from third-party publications. Automatically surfaced; not part of the verified registry record.
Humanoid robotics: Summit looks ahead to 2040
DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics hosted a VDMA summit on humanoid robotics looking ahead to 2040, gathering experts to discuss the future of humanoid robots in industry…
Cooperation between SCHUNK and DLR strengthens technology transfer for humanoid robotics
DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics and SCHUNK signed a letter of intent to strengthen technology transfer for humanoid robotics. The two organizations have been working…
DLR showcases robotics highlights at automatica 2025
DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics presented at automatica 2025 in Munich: TORO humanoid robot with AI-powered vision and LLM-based situation awareness, SARA lightweight…
DLR: The art of compliance in robotics
DLR researchers developed an elasto-plastic compliance control approach for robots, published in Science Robotics. The controller was tested in the Surface Avatar space mission in…
Robotics pioneer Prof. Gerd Hirzinger honored
Gerd Hirzinger, one of the most influential figures in German robotics and long-standing head of the DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, was honored by the Robotics…
Four-legged friends and other robots: ESA astronaut tests avatar control between ISS and Earth
Swedish ESA astronaut Marcus Wandt commanded various robotic systems from the International Space Station as part of the Surface Avatar experiment, including DLR humanoid robot…
DLR TORO Humanoid Robot
TORO is DLR's torque-controlled humanoid walking robot research platform for bipedal movement and dynamic manipulation.
Surface Avatar - an astronaut on board the ISS controls a robot team on Earth
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio successfully commanded a heterogeneous team of robots on Earth from the International Space Station, marking the start of the Surface Avatar experiment…
Institute director Alin Albu-Schäffer awarded prestigious ERC Advanced Grant
Alin Albu-Schäffer received an ERC Advanced Grant for the M-Runners project on energy-efficient legged locomotion based on nonlinear mechanical resonance principles. The project…
Machine-readable surfaces
- Markdown mirror: /companies/dlr-robotics.md
- RSS feed: /companies/dlr-robotics/feed.xml
- JSON-LD: embedded in this page’s head
- REST API: /v1/companies/db08caab-ad5c-43fc-9cc7-71851bd9961b
- Revision history: /companies/dlr-robotics/history
- Data documentation: /data
- Query this programmatically: Deploy MCP
Peer companies
- Roborock20 models
- Ecovacs Robotics19 models
- SharkNinja14 models
- Unitree Robotics10 models
- iRobot9 models
- DJI7 models
Video
Hi everyone. I am a Mechatronics Engineering student at the University of Siegen. Currently I am doing an internship at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and decided to make a video on how a day looks like here. I reall
At the @DLRde Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, cast and additively manufactured parts with highly complex geometries are becoming increasingly important.
At the @DLRde Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, highly complex mechanical components are developed for robotics, medical technology, and autonomous system
Prof. Gerd Hirzinger spent his entire research career at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen and made his mark on robotics worldwide. At the 2
Prof. Gerd Hirzinger sent a robot into space that could be controlled from Earth, helped KUKA succeed, developed sensitive cobot technology for the first time,
Reality vs attention
DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics draws attention at the 38th percentile but verifies reality at the 4th percentile among quadrupeds. Hype Gap +33.9, 3rd widest among quadrupeds.
6-month trend
Analysis
Clean safety record across 1 verified deployment. Funding runway warrants monitoring: last known round 90 months ago.
Signal flags
Dimension breakdown
Verified signal
Attention (reach, not merit)
DEPLOY Intelligence scores are computed from verified registry data: confirmed deployments, disclosed funding rounds, regulatory filings, active job listings, video viewership, and press coverage. Confidence ratings reflect data availability. Scores update nightly.
DEPLOY Indices — verified vs claimed
Last computed: Aug 24, 2026