iPresence kubi 2.0

≈$1,000 – $1,100 (Kickstarter)Kickstarter tiers are ¥150,000 (≈$1,000) Global Edition and ¥165,000 (≈$1,100) Launch Edition, plus a ¥330,000 two-unit corporate pack and a donation option that funds units for schools and hospitals. Japan retail price is ¥165,000 including tax. The iPad is not included.

Announced onlyNot programmableKickstarterTelepresenceTablet standSchools

Not releasedShipping: Kickstarter delivery est. Nov 2026. The Kickstarter campaign is live from Sept 18 to Oct 20, 2026 and is below its goal. Kickstarter lists estimated delivery as November 2026, with mass production scheduled to begin in October 2026. In Japan, iPresence takes pre-orders for general sale from October 15, 2026. Kickstarter ↗

Remote control: Not yet possible from code. Robot Stand Connect and AvatarLink run on Windows and Mac for remote pan/tilt control, and iPresence says an API for outside developers is planned.

Kickstarter campaign ↗iPresence kubi 2.0 ↗

Overview

kubi 2.0 is a motorized iPad stand that lets a remote person pan 300° and tilt 55° to look around a classroom, hospital room or office during a Zoom, Teams or app call. It is a Japan-built redesign of the original kubi, which Revolve Robotics introduced in 2012 and iPresence has sold in Japan since 2015, with a magnetic mount, quieter movement, a lower center of gravity and USB-C charging. iPresence is also pitching it as a body for AI agents that can turn to face visitors, though the developer API is not out yet. The Kickstarter campaign is live until October 20, 2026 with 6 backers and has not reached its goal, while Japanese retail sales start October 15, 2026. Suits schools, hospitals and offices that already use iPads for remote attendance.

Specifications

Category	Companion robots · Desk & social robots
Released	2026
Country	Japan
Availability	Announced only
Crowdfunding	Kickstarter · Live campaign · 6 backers · ≈$4,585 raised of a ≈$6,330 goal · Sep 18, 2026 – Oct 20, 2026 · delivery est. Nov 2026 (as of Oct 6, 2026) Campaign ↗
Programmability	Limited SDK
Built-in autonomy	Reactive · Responds to its surroundings without a map, such as avoiding obstacles or following a person
LLM support	Official LLM tools · No built-in LLM. iPresence sells an add-on iPresence Agent app that pairs kubi 2.0 with an AI agent and face tracking for reception and guidance, and an SDK and API are in joint development with partners. iPresence ↗
MuJoCo simulation	None found · Nothing found.
NVIDIA Isaac simulation	None found · Nothing found.
Gazebo simulation	None found · Nothing found.
Best for	Ages 6+ (estimated)
Vision sensors	No vision sensors
Actuators	Unknown
Audio	No audio
Compute type	Proprietary / undisclosed
Remote control	Not programmable
Size	7.4 cm diameter body, 26 cm tall, 15 cm base, 705 g (with the included steel plate)
Drive	Stationary, motorized 2-axis pan/tilt tablet stand (300° pan, 55° tilt)
Compute	Not published
Vision	None of its own (uses the mounted iPad's camera)
Lidar	None
Sensors	None of its own beyond Bluetooth and an LED status light. Camera, mic, speaker and screen come from the iPad
Runtime	Up to 4 h on battery, or runs from USB-C / AC power
Speed	Not published
SDK	SDK and API in joint development with partners. The Robot Stand Connect app offers simple head-only control for AI integration

Timeline

Dec 2012AnnouncedRevolve Robotics introduced the original kubi tablet telepresence stand PR Newswire ↗
Dec 17, 2013ShippingOriginal kubi began shipping, from $399 Engadget ↗
2015UpdateiPresence began supplying the original kubi in Japan iPresence ↗
2024UpdateiPresence acquired kubi manufacturing and sales rights from Xandex iPresence ↗
Sep 18, 2026Campaign launchedkubi 2.0 Kickstarter campaign launched, iPresence's first global launch PR EDGE ↗
Oct 2026 (est.)UpdateMass production scheduled to begin Kickstarter ↗
Oct 15, 2026 (est.)ReleasedGeneral sale in Japan at ¥165,000 PR EDGE ↗
Oct 20, 2026 (est.)Campaign endCampaign deadline Kickstarter ↗
Nov 2026 (est.)Estimated deliveryEstimated delivery to backers Kickstarter ↗