Westwood Robotics
Westwood Robotics is a Los Angeles company, founded in 2018 by former core members of UCLA's Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa), and named after the neighbourhood that hosts UCLA. Its chief executive and founder is Xiaoguang Zhang, who developed expertise in proprioceptive actuators and dynamic robots at RoMeLa, the lab founded by Professor Dennis Hong. Westwood makes two humanoids. THEMIS is a full-size, general-purpose humanoid, and the second-generation THEMIS V2 stands 1.6 m tall, weighs 36 kg and has 40 degrees of freedom, proprietary BEAR proprioceptive actuators, up to 200 TOPS of onboard AI compute, liquid cooling and hot-swappable batteries giving up to three hours of operation. BRUCE is a kid-sized, open-platform humanoid for STEAM education and research, developed with RoMeLa and adopted by multiple universities, labs and companies. Westwood showed THEMIS V2 serving coffee at the Robotics Summit and Expo in Boston on 30 April to 1 May 2025.
💡Notable Achievement: Westwood, founded in 2018 by former UCLA RoMeLa members, showed THEMIS V2 (1.6 m, 36 kg, 40 DoF) at the Robotics Summit in April 2025.
What Does Westwood Robotics Do?
Westwood Robotics is a Los Angeles company founded in 2018 by former UCLA RoMeLa members that makes THEMIS and BRUCE humanoids.
“Proprioceptive-actuator humanoids from UCLA's RoMeLa.”
THEMIS V2
1.6 m, 36 kg, 40 degrees of freedom.
BRUCE
Kid-sized open platform for education and research.
BEAR Actuators
Proprietary proprioceptive actuators.
What Can Westwood Robotics Robots Actually Do?
Cross-portfolio operational capabilities, manipulation tasks, and environmental competencies
Dynamic humanoid research and education.
Dynamic Locomotion
THEMIS uses model-based control with reinforcement learning.
STEAM Education
BRUCE is used in classrooms and labs.
Westwood Robotics Robots
Showing 2 Humanoid Robots of 2 total models
Bruce
By: Westwood Robotics
Launched: 2022
Bruce is a compact, kid-sized humanoid robot designed as an open-platform for advanced robotics research and education. Standing at 70cm tall and weighing just 4.8kg, it features a lightweight carbon fiber composite structure for durability and agility. With 16 degrees of freedom, including 5 DOF per leg and 3 DOF per arm, Bruce excels in dynamic bipedal locomotion such as walking, running, jumping, and even advanced maneuvers like single-leg hopping or yaw rotations. Powered by proprietary Koala BEAR proprioceptive actuators with liquid cooling, it delivers explosive power and real-time compliance for unstructured environments. Equipped with a high-frequency 6-DOF IMU, 4 contact sensors, and a 6TOPS onboard computer supporting deep learning frameworks, Bruce enables autonomous navigation, whole-body control, and sensor-based adaptation. Its modular, repairable design and open-source software/hardware foster rapid prototyping in locomotion, perception, and human-robot interaction, making it ideal for testing algorithms in real-world scenarios.
Themis V2
By: Westwood Robotics
Launched: 2024
Themis V2 is a full-sized humanoid robot engineered for industrial, service, and research applications, standing 1.6 meters tall with 40 degrees of freedom for human-like agility. It features proprietary BEAR actuators that deliver compliant, back-drivable motion, enabling smooth walking at human speeds and running up to 10 km/h across uneven terrain. Equipped with 6-DoF arms and 7-DoF dexterous hands supporting 15 kg payloads, it excels in two-handed manipulation tasks like logistics handling, light assembly, and precise inspection. Onboard 200 TOPS AI processing powers real-time perception via stereo cameras and high-frequency IMU, facilitating autonomous navigation, balance recovery, and adaptive grasping without cloud dependency. Hot-swappable batteries ensure continuous operation, while ROS-based Humanoid OS integrates LLMs for intelligent task execution and safe human collaboration, positioning Themis V2 as a versatile platform for dynamic real-world deployment.
Westwood Robotics Timeline & Milestones
Evolutionary history, landmark prototypes, major acquisitions, and commercial roadmap
Westwood Robotics founded
Former members of UCLA's RoMeLa lab found Westwood Robotics in Los Angeles to build humanoids and proprioceptive actuators.
Source: roboticssummit.com
THEMIS V2 debuts at Robotics Summit
Westwood debuts its next-generation THEMIS V2 humanoid at the Robotics Summit and Expo, serving coffee to attendees.
Source: roboticssummit.com
Westwood Robotics Competitors by Category
Direct industry rivals grouped by specific robotics domain
What Makes Westwood Robotics Different?
Editorial AnalysisOrigin of Bots objective strategic assessment, engineering moats, and commercial hurdles
Key Strengths & Moats
- ✓Strong academic roots.
- ✓Adopted by universities and companies.
Core Strategic Focus
THEMIS V2 sales.
Road Ahead & Challenges
- •Small company.
- •Prices not published.
Westwood Robotics vs Key Competitors
Strategic capability matrix across platform categories, commercial readiness, and target markets
Actuator Type
- BRUCE (Westwood)
- BEAR Quasi-Direct Drive
- Unitree G1
- Planetary Actuators
- Robotis OP3
- Dynamixel Servos
- Berkeley Humanoid Lite
- Quasi-Direct Drive
Dynamic Locomotion
- BRUCE (Westwood)
- High Dynamic (Running/Jumping)
- Unitree G1
- Dynamic Walking/Jogging
- Robotis OP3
- Kinematic Step Walking
- Berkeley Humanoid Lite
- Dynamic Walking
Primary Audience
- BRUCE (Westwood)
- Academic R&D Labs
- Unitree G1
- Commercial & Developers
- Robotis OP3
- RoboCup Education
- Berkeley Humanoid Lite
- Open Research Community
| Strategic Dimension | BRUCE (Westwood) | Unitree G1 | Robotis OP3 | Berkeley Humanoid Lite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actuator Type | BEAR Quasi-Direct Drive | Planetary Actuators | Dynamixel Servos | Quasi-Direct Drive |
| Dynamic Locomotion | High Dynamic (Running/Jumping) | Dynamic Walking/Jogging | Kinematic Step Walking | Dynamic Walking |
| Primary Audience | Academic R&D Labs | Commercial & Developers | RoboCup Education | Open Research Community |
Corporate Ecosystem & Ownership Structure
Parent company relationships, historical acquisitions, and global operating facilities
UCLA RoMeLa
The lab whose members founded Westwood.
Ownership & Acquisition History
The lab whose members founded Westwood.
Global Facilities & Operating Hubs
Westwood Robotics Headquarters
HQLos Angeles, California, United States
Articles & Industry News
Showing 2 recent articles and news updates about Westwood Robotics
Westwood Robotics Spotlights Bruce at Robotics Summit
News about Bruce
Westwood's Themis V2 Redefines Humanoid Work: Walking, Manipulating, and Learning Simultaneously
News about Themis V2
Frequently Asked Questions
8 AnswersVerified answers, company specifications, and deployment details about Westwood Robotics
What is Westwood Robotics?
Westwood Robotics is a Los Angeles company, founded in 2018 by former UCLA RoMeLa members, that makes the THEMIS full-size humanoid and the BRUCE kid-sized humanoid.
Who founded Westwood Robotics?
Westwood Robotics was founded in 2018 by former core members of UCLA's RoMeLa lab, and its chief executive and founder is Xiaoguang Zhang.
What is the Westwood THEMIS V2?
THEMIS V2 is Westwood's full-size humanoid, 1.6 m tall and 36 kg with 40 degrees of freedom, BEAR actuators, up to 200 TOPS of AI compute and hot-swappable batteries.
What is BRUCE?
BRUCE is Westwood's kid-sized open-platform humanoid for STEAM education and research, developed with UCLA's RoMeLa and used by universities, labs and companies.
What are BEAR actuators?
BEAR actuators are Westwood's proprietary proprioceptive actuators, which sense force through motor current so the robot can move dynamically and interact safely.
How is Westwood related to UCLA?
Westwood was founded by former RoMeLa members, the lab led by Professor Dennis Hong, and takes its name from the Los Angeles neighbourhood where UCLA sits.
What is THEMIS V2's battery life?
THEMIS V2 has hot-swappable batteries that give up to three continuous hours of operation, together with liquid-cooled thermal management and up to 200 TOPS of onboard AI compute.
How much does THEMIS cost?
Westwood Robotics has not published a price for THEMIS. Research labs and companies request quotes directly from the company, which also sells the BRUCE kid-sized open platform.
Verified Data & Editorial Assurance
Compiled from verified corporate filings, official Westwood Robotics datasheets, and robotics engineering registries. Information has been verified against official manufacturer documentation. For commercial procurement or proprietary integrations, contact the manufacturer directly.