The Sprout humanoid robot is a soft-bodied humanoid developed by Fauna Robotics, a New York–based startup. The robot is priced at $50,000. It was publicly introduced in January 2026. Sprout is designed for safe operation in homes, schools, and shared indoor spaces. The company positions the platform for research and development use rather than industrial labor.
Sprout stands approximately 3.5 feet tall. Its body is covered in foam padding to reduce impact during contact with people or objects. The robot is designed to operate near humans without protective barriers.
Sprout Humanoid Robot Design and Hardware
The Sprout humanoid robot uses a lightweight mechanical structure combined with soft exterior materials. It has 29 degrees of freedom, allowing complex movement. The robot can walk across uneven surfaces and regain balance after stumbles. Rubberized grippers allow it to grasp small objects such as toys or blocks.
Sprout is powered by an NVIDIA Jetson Orin processor. The onboard system supports real-time motion control and environment mapping. The robot uses sensors to detect obstacles and navigate indoor spaces. It can be controlled using a game controller, smartphone app, or virtual reality headset.
Sprout Humanoid Robot as a Developer Platform
Fauna Robotics markets the Sprout humanoid robot as a developer platform. The company intends for third-party developers to create applications focused on interaction, movement, and learning. Early units are already shipping to customers.
Initial recipients include Disney, Boston Dynamics, New York University, and University of California San Diego. These organizations are using Sprout for experimentation, research, and software development. The platform allows testing of human-robot interaction in controlled environments.
Company Background and Market Context
Fauna Robotics’ leadership team includes executives with experience in finance, consumer hardware, and artificial intelligence research. CEO Robert Cochran previously worked at Goldman Sachs and CTRL-labs. CTO Josh Merel has published research on AI-trained virtual animals.
The Sprout humanoid robot enters a market that includes other humanoid systems such as Tesla Optimus and Atlas. Sprout is not designed for heavy industrial tasks. Its focus remains on safety, interaction, and development use.
