Mercury B1

Overview

The Elephant Robotics Mercury B1 is a bimanual desktop robot featuring two 7-axis arms mounted on a shared torso, priced at $11,999. With 1 kg payload per arm and 537 mm height, the Mercury B1 provides a compact, affordable platform for bimanual manipulation research, two-handed assembly tasks, and embodied AI training. The dual 7-axis configuration gives researchers a system capable of human-like two-handed coordination, which is increasingly important as the field moves towards dexterous manipulation and general-purpose robot intelligence.

Key Specifications

• Arms: 2 x 7-axis
• Payload per arm: 1 kg
• Height: 537 mm (torso with arms)
• Repeatability: ±0.05 mm per arm
• Price: $11,999

The Mercury B1 integrates with ROS 2 and supports Python programming. Elephant Robotics provides simulation models for Gazebo and Isaac Sim, enabling researchers to develop and test bimanual manipulation algorithms in simulation before deploying on physical hardware.

Use Cases

Bimanual manipulation research is the primary application, covering tasks such as cloth folding, object handover, assembly with two-handed coordination, and learning from demonstration datasets that require two-arm trajectories. UK AI and robotics research groups, particularly those working on foundation models for manipulation and Learning from Human Feedback (LHDF) pipelines, have adopted the Mercury B1 as a cost-accessible bimanual research platform.

The compact torso form factor makes the Mercury B1 suitable for table-top mounting in standard laboratory settings, unlike full humanoid platforms that require floor space and safety considerations. Its price point allows multiple units per research group, enabling parallel experiments.

Buying Used

A very limited secondary market exists, primarily through university surplus. The platform is relatively new and most deployed units remain in active use. Contact Elephant Robotics UK distribution for availability of refurbished units.

Alternatives to Consider

• AgileX Cobot Magic for a mobile bimanual platform if mobility is required alongside bimanual capability
• ALOHA / Mobile ALOHA for a bimanual teleoperation and learning platform in the research community
• Franka Research 3 (paired) for higher-precision single-arm units used as a bimanual pair at higher cost