When the Robotics and AI (RAI) Institute talks about technology, it is wise to pay attention. The company was eventually founded by Marc Raibert, who also founded robotics pioneer Boston Dynamics, the company behind the amazing Atlas robot and the dog-like quadruped Spot.
The Massachusetts-based RAI Institute has just unveiled Roadrunner, a 15 kg (33 lb) robot prototype with two-legged wheels. The captivating design features remarkable versatility, including thanks to its symmetrical legs with knee joints that allow it to move efficiently and avoid obstacles with ease.
A short video (below) released by the Roadrunner team shows the robot effortlessly launching from a resting position before spinning around on flat ground. However, it only becomes truly alert when it gently climbs a staircase and its wheels serve as feet to climb up. Roadrunner then rides down a ramp before tackling the obstacle in reverse, only this time he descends the steps like a stunt cyclist.
Meet Roadrunner, a new 15 kg (33 lb) bipedal wheeled robot prototype with multi-modal locomotion: side-by-side and inline wheel modes, as well as stepping function. Its symmetrical legs are hinged at the knee to avoid obstacles. pic.twitter.com/rcMW3DAEv3
– RAI Institute (@rai_inst) March 23, 2026
“A single control policy was trained to handle both side-by-side and in-line driving,” the RAI Institute said in its post. “Several behaviors, including standing up from different ground configurations and balancing on a wheel, were successfully implemented on the hardware,” meaning Roadrunner was able to perform the actions without requiring additional training or customization after the system was developed.
The RAI Institute plans to use the Roadrunner wheeled robot as a research platform to push the boundaries of agile, dynamic mobility. Looking forward, you can imagine a more advanced version of the robot being used in real-world environments for inspection or warehouse tasks, and in some situations providing a viable alternative to legged humanoid robots.
The RAI Institute was founded in 2022 by Marc Raibert to advance the integration of robotics and artificial intelligence. Building on the expertise of industry pioneers, the company quickly became known for developing highly dynamic, agile robots that can perform a range of complex movements… just like Roadrunner.
