Steve
Steve is a 210 cm tall humanoid robot blending robotics with character design, created to engage people emotionally rather than functionally. With calm gestures and a striking presence, he serves as a unique storyteller and public-facing figure at events and campaigns.
Humanoid.Guide skill score: 2/10 This score is calculated as the combined total of Navigation and Manipulation performance.
Specifications and details:
| Availability | Production |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Website | https://jandecoster.com/ |
| Degrees of freedom, overall | 22 |
| Degrees of freedom, hands | 2 |
| Height [cm] | 210 |
| Manipulation performance | 1 |
| Navigation performance | 1 |
| Max speed (km/h) | 8 |
| Strength [kg] | 5 |
| Weight [kg] | 140 |
| Runtime pr charge (hours) | 2 |
| Safe with humans | Yes |
| CPU/GPU | Arduino |
| Ingress protection | 1 |
| Camera resolution | – |
| Connectivity | WiFi |
| Operating system | Arduino |
| LLM integration | OpenAI |
| Latency glass to action | – |
| Motor tech | DC |
| Gear tech | Aluminium Custom Gears |
| Main structural material | Aluminium, Steel |
| Number of fingers | 10 |
| Main market | Entertainment, Hospitality |
Description
Steve is a 210 cm tall humanoid robot created by Belgian designer Jan De Coster under the Sulu.be umbrella. With its expressive yet minimalist form and calm, towering presence, Steve was built not just as a robot, but as a character—meant to evoke curiosity and connection rather than mimic human behavior. Originally conceived in sketches in 2013, Steve was brought to life a year later through a collaboration with the media company Brightfish. Since then, he has served as a public-facing figure at events and campaigns, combining technological intrigue with artistic storytelling.
Designed for indoor environments, Steve is both functional and surprisingly agile for his size. Weighing 140 kg and capable of reaching a top speed of 8 km/h, his dual-arm structure and carefully choreographed gestures allow him to perform tasks like greeting guests or delivering brief messages with presence and intent. His compact footprint, combined with his height and slightly stylized face, makes him instantly memorable in crowded environments—from corporate receptions to cultural festivals.
But Steve’s impact goes beyond mobility or physical features. He represents a unique fusion of robotics and theater, functioning as a bridge between machine and audience rather than a tool or assistant. His presence invites people to reflect on how technology fits into human rituals and spaces—not through efficiency, but through personality and emotional resonance. Steve doesn’t try to be human; he simply tries to be Steve.
