Fauna Sprout (AR-1): Specifications, Availability and Role for Events

Written by ROBOTio Team · · 6 min read

Article summary

Fauna Sprout is a 107 cm tall developer humanoid from Fauna Robotics, now part of Amazon. What can it do, where is it sold and why consider Unitree G1 or H2 for events?

Fauna Sprout is a small humanoid for developers, schools and laboratories: 107 cm, 22.7 kg, 29 degrees of freedom and open SDK. The designation "AR-1", which appears in overview graphics, does not belong to any other model and is not found in the manufacturer's documentation. Fauna Robotics lists only Sprout. ROBOTio does not rent or sell it, and it is currently sold only in the USA, so you will not encounter it at a corporate event in Czechia. For the same purpose, we offer [Unitree G1 and H2](https://robotio.eu/robot-rental) with our own operators. ## What is Fauna Sprout Sprout is developed by [Fauna Robotics](https://robotio.eu/brands/fauna-robotics), founded in New York in 2024 by Rob Cochran (CEO) and Josh Merel (CTO). The manufacturer released the Creator Edition on 27 January 2026. Two months later, on 24 March 2026, Amazon announced its acquisition. The company continues to operate under the name "Fauna Robotics, an Amazon company" and continues to sell Sprout. Analysts interpret the acquisition as a purchase of tools and a team for humanoids, not a consumer product. Amazon has not disclosed its long-term strategy. The robot is designed for classrooms and laboratories. It has low weight, a soft exterior, a prominent LED face and movable "eyebrows". Facial expression is its signature characteristic. A brief profile can be found on the [Fauna Sprout](https://robotio.eu/fauna-sprout) page. ## Specifications According to Manufacturer - **Height and weight:** 107 cm, 22.7 kg - **Degrees of freedom:** 29 (legs 5 × 2, arms 6 × 2, head and torso, eyebrows) - **Hands:** three-finger gripper with 1 degree of freedom, arm reach 48 cm - **Battery:** replaceable Li-ion, 5,000 or 10,000 mAh, runtime 3–3.5 hours - **Compute unit:** NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin 64 GB, 1 TB NVMe - **Sensors:** stereo RGB-D camera ZED 2i, 4 × ToF sensor, IMU, 4 microphones, speakers - **Software:** Fauna SDK (Python, C++), simulators Isaac Sim, Gazebo and MuJoCo These are manufacturer specifications. With a runtime of 3–3.5 hours, you should plan for battery changes and scheduled breaks during a full-day event. ## What Sprout Can Do Out of the box, it offers pre-trained behaviours: walking, kneeling, climbing, sitting, jumping, dancing and waving. It also offers mapping, localisation and indoor navigation, plus voice tasks with natural dialogue. The AI architecture is open ("bring your own model") and the entire body can be teleoperated for data collection. Developers can programme more complex behaviours via the SDK. The robot is designed with people's safety in mind: soft exterior, minimised pinch points, back-drivable motors and an independent safety subsystem. ## Where Sprout is Deployed According to documentation, university laboratories (UC San Diego, NYU and others) use it as an open platform for learning motion and interaction. Disney is among the early customers, for whom a small, distinctive and safe robot for human interaction is well-suited. Boston Dynamics and corporate teams use it to test their own behaviours before deploying them on larger platforms. It is therefore primarily a development platform. ## Price and Availability The manufacturer does not publish the price on the website, sales are handled by request and currently only in the USA. There is an estimate in the press, but no official price list, so we will not cite any figures. Service is also lacking in Europe. We monitor availability at ROBOTio, but today the situation is: - rental for events: no - sales and import: no - alternative for events: Unitree G1 or H2 from our fleet We do not publish our prices on the website either. We will provide the rental price for G1 or H2 upon request and send an offer within 24 hours. ## What This Means for Corporate Events For the organiser, the more important question is what the robot needs to accomplish at the event, rather than what processor it has. It must handle crowds, converse with guests, stick to a script and have people on hand to operate it. With us, each robot has two operators at all times. The persona and responses are approved in advance, and the robot replies in the language in which it is addressed. The robot maintains movement and balance on its own; the operator controls direction and gestures. Based on this, the model can be selected: - **Events for children and families:** a small humanoid that is not intimidated by crowds; we work with G1, including dancing and photo opportunities. See an example in the [Šantovka Family Day 2026](https://robotio.eu/case-study/santovka-family-day-2026-olomouc) case study. - **Schools and technical days:** Sprout is designed for classrooms, but in Czechia you cannot source it or have it serviced. We recommend [Unitree G1 EDU](https://robotio.eu/unitree-g1-edu) and the [ROBOTio Academy](https://robotio.eu/academy) programme. Further options can be found on the [robot for schools](https://robotio.eu/robot-hire-by-event-type) page and for [STEM events](https://robotio.eu/robot-hire-by-event-type). - **Research workshops:** if you need an open platform for your own algorithms, we will compare Sprout with G1 EDU based on SDK, sensors and service. Our [training and coaching](https://robotio.eu/services/training) can also help. - **Larger stages:** for these, the taller H2 (180 cm) is an option, or the [basic G1](https://robotio.eu/unitree-g1-basic). ROBOTio's view is straightforward: Sprout is a direct competitor to G1 EDU in schools and research. For events, it makes sense to use a robot from our own fleet, which we supply with operator support. ## What to Watch Out For - Verify the designation "AR-1". We could not find it in the manufacturer's documentation. - Specification data come from the manufacturer; we have no independent measurements for event deployment. - A robot without European service is a risk if your event depends on it. - Read about other international models in our [model overview](https://robotio.eu/models). For most of them, these are informational profiles, not a service. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Fauna AR-1? The designation "AR-1" appears in overview graphics, but the manufacturer does not list any such model. Fauna Robotics offers the Sprout Creator Edition (107 cm, 29 degrees of freedom). ### Can Sprout Be Rented for an Event? No, it is not in our fleet. For small humanoids at events with children and families, we work with Unitree G1; for large stages, we offer H2. ### How Much Does Sprout Cost and Where Can It Be Bought? The manufacturer does not publish the price and sales are by request, currently only in the USA. The press cites estimates, but no official price list exists. ### Is Sprout Suitable for Czech Schools? Constructionally yes, it is designed for schools. However, service is not available in Europe, so we currently recommend [Unitree](https://robotio.eu/brands/unitree) G1 EDU with the Academy programme. ## Do You Want a Robot for Your Event? Tell us about your event and we will suggest a model and programme involvement within 24 hours. Submit a non-binding enquiry on the [humanoid robot rental](https://robotio.eu/robot-rental) page.

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Category

technologie

Tags

  • Fauna Sprout
  • Fauna Robotics
  • humanoid robots
  • Unitree G1
  • robots for schools
  • robot rental

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ROBOTio helps companies rent, demonstrate and integrate humanoid robots: Unitree G1 and H2 for events, trade fairs, conferences and marketing campaigns — always with our own operators.