HEBI Robotics

HEBI Robotics contact details

Headquarters

3577 Bigelow Blvd, Floor 3
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
United States

Email info@hebirobotics.com

Website hebirobotics.com

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Contact details as published by HEBI Robotics, checked 2026-10-30. Specify Motion is not affiliated with HEBI Robotics.

HEBI Robotics product lines

Who HEBI Robotics is

HEBI Robotics is a US company that makes modular smart actuators and the robots built from them. Each HEBI actuator is a self-contained robot joint. It holds a brushless motor, gear train, motor drive, absolute position sensing, an inertial measurement unit and temperature sensing, and it connects to the next joint and to the host computer over Ethernet. Engineers chain actuators with brackets and tubes to build arms, legged robots and mobile manipulators, then control them through HEBI’s APIs without writing low-level drive code.

The markets HEBI names are research and universities, inspection and field work, aerospace and industrial applications, so its products suit specialist robots and prototypes more than high-volume factory cells.

History and ownership

HEBI was founded in 2014 by a cross-disciplinary team from Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute. The company says it was born in the CMU Biorobotics lab. Professor Howie Choset is founder and chairman, Dave Rollinson is CTO and co-founder, and Matt Tesch and Florian Enner are co-founders. The milestones HEBI publishes are:

• 2016: first modular platform unveiled.
• 2017: Daisy, a hexapod walker.
• 2018: expansion into non-destructive testing (NDT) for oil and gas pipelines.
• 2019: R-Series actuators taken outdoors.
• 2021: Tready, a tracked mobile manipulator for NDT and remote soil testing.
• 2024: H-Series actuators launched for industrial power.

HEBI designs and assembles its products in Pittsburgh. It does not publish funding or ownership details.

Product portfolio

Smart actuators

• The T-Series is the current core range: T5, T8 and T25 actuators with a series-elastic spring in the drivetrain. Ratings run from 1.3 Nm continuous and 2.5 Nm peak (T5-1) to 40 Nm continuous and 80 Nm peak (T25-40), with output speeds up to 118 rpm. Position sensing is multi-turn absolute over ±4 turns at 0.005° resolution. The units are designed for IP65 and run at 24–48 V.
• The R-Series (R8 and R25) covers the same torque ladder in an IP67 sealed housing with an internal pressure sensor, at 670 g to 1.9 kg, for outdoor and wet environments.
• The H-Series (H25-45, H25-90, H25-140) uses a zero-backlash harmonic-type reducer for 45 to 140 Nm continuous and up to 280 Nm peak. It offers 0.001° position resolution and an optional power-off brake, and the 2.9 kg unit is rated IP65.
• The X-Series (X5 and X8, up to 16 Nm continuous and 38 Nm peak) is HEBI’s original range. It is now listed as legacy and replaced by the T-Series.

HEBI also makes a Track Actuator (IP54) for tracked platforms.

Robots and software

Beyond actuators, HEBI sells robot arms, mobile platforms, robot kits, a haptic controller and software APIs and apps. These are built from the same modules, so a customer can prototype a complete manipulator quickly.

Technologies

Series elasticity. The T-Series puts a spring between the gear train and the output. Measuring spring deflection gives a direct torque reading, and the compliance protects the gears from shock. It also makes force control and safe contact easier. The cost is lower stiffness at the output, which matters for precise positioning under load.

Networked joints. Actuators daisy-chain over 100 Mbps Ethernet. Current datasheets specify two plastic optical fibre (OptoLock) ports per unit. Each joint reports position, velocity, torque, IMU data and temperatures.

Ratings. HEBI publishes continuous and peak torque per model; peak is roughly twice continuous across the T and H ranges. As with any joint, size on the continuous torque at your duty cycle. See how to select a harmonic actuator and harmonic vs planetary vs cycloidal for the gearing trade-offs.

Choosing between T, R and H

Choose the T-Series for indoor arms and research robots where torque sensing through the spring and safe contact matter. Choose the R-Series when the robot works outdoors or is washed down, because it carries the same torque ratings with IP67 sealing and a little more mass. Choose the H-Series when a shoulder or base joint needs 45 to 140 Nm continuous, and the T and R ranges top out at 40 Nm.

Industries served

HEBI names aerospace, space flight and military work, industrial applications, research and universities, oil and gas pipeline inspection and remote soil testing. For production robotics, see robotics and cobots and oil and gas.

Global and UK presence

HEBI lists one location, Pittsburgh, and sells direct and through its online store. No UK office or distributor is published. UK buyers should allow for US export paperwork and lead times, and check that the voltage, connectors and fibre networking suit their system.

What to send when specifying a smart actuator

Send the continuous and peak torque per joint, speed, duty cycle, supply voltage and the host interface. Add the IP rating needed, mass per joint, any requirement for series compliance or a brake, and the number of joints on the network.

Specify Motion is independent of HEBI Robotics and is not a distributor for the company. Our engineers can help source HEBI products or propose equivalents from our supply network on published figures; see find a replacement or the servo and stepper motors hub.

HEBI Robotics history: key dates

1. 2014HEBI founded by a team from Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute
2. 2016First modular platform unveiled
3. 2017Daisy hexapod walker introduced
4. 2018Expansion into non-destructive testing for oil and gas pipelines
5. 2019R-Series actuators taken outdoors
6. 2021Tready tracked mobile manipulator released
7. 2024H-Series actuators launched

HEBI Robotics harmonic actuators

Integrated robot joint actuator

T-Series

Series-elastic smart actuators (T5, T8, T25) with built-in motor, gearing, spring, drive and sensors, up to 40 Nm continuous and 80 Nm peak (T25-40, series maximum), ±4-turn absolute position at 0.005° and dual 100 Mbps fibre-optic Ethernet.

Integrated robot joint actuator

R-Series

IP67 sealed version of HEBI's smart actuators (R8 and R25) for outdoor and wash-down use, up to 40 Nm continuous and 80 Nm peak with ±4-turn absolute sensing and fibre-optic Ethernet.

Integrated robot joint actuator

H-Series

High-torque HEBI actuator (H25) with a zero-backlash harmonic-type reducer, up to 140 Nm continuous and 280 Nm peak, 0.001° position resolution, optional power-off brake and IP65.

Integrated robot joint actuator · legacy

X-Series

HEBI's original modular smart actuators (X5 and X8), up to 16 Nm continuous and 38 Nm peak at 24–48 V with dual-port 100 Mbps Ethernet; now listed as legacy.

Frequently asked questions

What is the HEBI Robotics website?

HEBI's official website is hebirobotics.com, with actuators, arms, mobile platforms, kits and software. Technical documentation and actuator datasheets are at docs.hebi.us, and the online store is shophebi.com. The contact page lists the Pittsburgh address and general email.

What is HEBI Robotics' phone number and email?

HEBI publishes info@hebirobotics.com as its contact email and offers a quote request through its contact page. No telephone number is listed on the website.

Where is HEBI Robotics based?

HEBI Robotics is at 3577 Bigelow Blvd, Floor 3, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. The company says it designs and assembles its actuators and other products in Pittsburgh.

Who founded and owns HEBI Robotics?

HEBI was founded in 2014 by a team from Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute and its Biorobotics lab. Professor Howie Choset is founder and chairman; Dave Rollinson, Matt Tesch and Florian Enner are co-founders. HEBI does not publish investor or ownership details.

Does HEBI Robotics have a UK distributor?

HEBI's contact page lists no UK office or distributors; it sells directly and through its online store. Specify Motion is independent of HEBI and can help source its actuators or propose equivalents from our supply network.

What does HEBI Robotics make?

HEBI makes modular smart actuators that combine motor, gearing, drive, encoders and sensors with Ethernet networking: the T-Series (series-elastic), R-Series (IP67) and H-Series (high torque). It also builds robot arms, mobile platforms such as Tready, a haptic controller and software APIs.

Sources

1. HEBI Robotics: About
2. HEBI Robotics: Contact
3. HEBI Robotics: home page
4. HEBI Robotics: Actuators
5. HEBI T-Series datasheet
6. HEBI R-Series datasheet
7. HEBI H-Series datasheet
8. HEBI X-Series datasheet

Figures are summarised from the sources above and from manufacturers' published data on the date shown. Always confirm against the current datasheet for your exact part.