Release
Jan 1, 2018
Price
Price TBA
Connectivity
2
Status
Active
Height
Not publicly disclosed in official product page
Weight
Not publicly disclosed in official product page
Battery
Up to 3 hours (reported by The Robot Report, citing SoftBank)
Speed
Not publicly disclosed
Whiz
Whiz is SoftBank Robotics' autonomous commercial vacuum robot for carpeted indoor facilities such as hotels, airports, workplaces, universities, healthcare sites, and senior living communities. The system is positioned as a collaborative cleaning robot that follows programmed routes, navigates around obstacles, and reports cleaning performance through connected software. SoftBank states the platform is powered by Brain Corp's BrainOS operating system. In market expansion coverage, The Robot Report documented that Whiz can store up to 600 cleaning routes and cover up to 1,500 m² for about three hours per run on a four-hour battery charge. Whiz is commonly deployed as part of service bundles with deployment/training support and ongoing fleet reporting rather than as a one-time hardware sale.
Listed price
Price TBA
Sold primarily via Robotics-as-a-Service subscriptions (region-dependent pricing)
Release window
Jan 1, 2018
Current status
Active
SoftBank Robotics
Last verified
Mar 5, 2026
Share this robot
Open a plain share composer on X or Bluesky for this robot profile.
Technical overview
Core specifications and system stack
A fast read on the mechanical profile, sensing package, and platform integrations behind Whiz.
Technical Specifications
Height
Not publicly disclosed in official product page
Weight
Not publicly disclosed in official product page
Battery Life
Up to 3 hours (reported by The Robot Report, citing SoftBank)
Charging Time
4 hours
Max Speed
Not publicly disclosed
Tech Components
Operational profile
How this robot is configured
Capabilities
6
Connectivity
2
Key capabilities
Ecosystem fit
Explore further
Benchmark set
Compare with similar robots
Shortcuts to the closest alternatives in the current ui44 set.
Commercial
Pepper
Aldebaran Robotics
Price TBA
Commercial
HMND 01 Alpha Wheeled
Humanoid
Price TBA
Commercial
Hobbs W1
Noetix Robotics
Price TBA
Commercial
Serve Gen3
Serve Robotics
Price TBA
About the Whiz
The Whiz is a Commercial robot built by SoftBank Robotics. Whiz is SoftBank Robotics' autonomous commercial vacuum robot for carpeted indoor facilities such as hotels, airports, workplaces, universities, healthcare sites, and senior living communities. The system is positioned as a collaborative cleaning robot that follows programmed routes, navigates around obstacles, and reports cleaning performance through connected software. SoftBank states the platform is powered by Brain Corp's BrainOS operating system. In market expansion coverage, The Robot Report documented that Whiz can store up to 600 cleaning routes and cover up to 1,500 m² for about three hours per run on a four-hour battery charge. Whiz is commonly deployed as part of service bundles with deployment/training support and ongoing fleet reporting rather than as a one-time hardware sale.
Pricing has not been publicly disclosed. See all SoftBank Robotics robots on the SoftBank Robotics page.
Spec Breakdown
Detailed specifications for the Whiz
Height
Not publicly disclosed in official product pageAt Not publicly disclosed in official product page, the Whiz is sized for its intended operating environment and use cases.
Weight
Not publicly disclosed in official product pageWeighing Not publicly disclosed in official product page, the Whiz balances structural integrity with portability and maneuverability.
Battery Life
Up to 3 hours (reported by The Robot Report, citing SoftBank)With a battery life of Up to 3 hours (reported by The Robot Report, citing SoftBank), the Whiz can operate for sustained periods before requiring a recharge. Battery life is measured under typical operating conditions and may vary based on workload intensity and environmental factors.
Charging Time
4 hoursA charging time of 4 hours means the ratio of operation to downtime is an important consideration for applications requiring near-continuous availability. Some deployments use multiple robots in rotation to maintain uninterrupted service.
Maximum Speed
Not publicly disclosedA top speed of Not publicly disclosed is calibrated for the robot's primary operating environment and safety requirements.
The Whiz uses BrainOS commercial autonomy platform (Brain Corp) as its intelligence backbone. This AI platform powers the robot's decision-making, perception processing, and autonomous behavior. The sophistication of the AI stack directly impacts how well the robot handles unexpected situations and adapts to new environments.
Whiz Sensor Suite
The Whiz integrates 1 sensor type, forming the perceptual foundation that enables autonomous operation.
This sensor configuration enables the Whiz to perceive its environment and operate autonomously in its intended use cases. Multiple sensor modalities provide redundancy and more robust perception than any single sensor type alone.
Explore sensor technologies: components glossary · full components directory
Whiz Use Cases & Applications
Commercial robots handle tasks in business environments — delivering food in restaurants, guiding visitors in hotels, transporting supplies in hospitals, and moving inventory in warehouses. Their value is measured in operational efficiency, labor cost savings, and improved service consistency.
Capabilities That Enable Real-World Use
The Whiz offers 6 distinct capabilities, each contributing to the robot's practical utility.
These capabilities work together with the robot's 1 onboard sensor type and BrainOS commercial autonomy platform (Brain Corp) AI platform to deliver practical, real-world performance.
Ecosystem Integration
The Whiz integrates with the following platforms and ecosystems, extending its utility beyond standalone operation.
This ecosystem compatibility enables the Whiz to work as part of a broader automation setup rather than operating in isolation.
Whiz Capabilities
6
Capabilities
1
Sensor Type
AI
BrainOS commercial autonomy …
Connectivity & Integration
How the Whiz communicates with your network, smart home devices, cloud services, and companion apps.
Network & Communication Protocols
Whiz Technology Stack Overview
The Whiz by SoftBank Robotics integrates 4 distinct technology components across sensing, connectivity, intelligence, and interaction layers. The physical platform features a height of Not publicly disclosed in official product page, a weight of Not publicly disclosed in official product page, a top speed of Not publicly disclosed, providing the foundation on which this technology stack operates.
Perception — 1 Sensor Type
The perception layer is built on Obstacle-detection/navigation sensor suite (BrainOS-powered autonomous navigation). These work in concert to give the robot a detailed understanding of its operating environment. This multi-sensor approach provides redundancy and enables the robot to function reliably even when individual sensors encounter challenging conditions such as low light, reflective surfaces, or cluttered spaces.
Connectivity — 2 Protocols
For communications, the Whiz relies on Whiz Connect smartphone app, SoftBank Robotics Connect reporting platform. This connectivity stack ensures the robot can communicate with cloud services, local smart home devices, mobile apps, and other networked systems in its environment.
Intelligence — BrainOS commercial autonomy platform (Brain Corp)
BrainOS commercial autonomy platform (Brain Corp) serves as the computational brain, processing sensor data, making navigation decisions, and orchestrating the robot's autonomous behaviors. The quality of this AI platform directly influences how well the robot handles novel situations, adapts to changes in its environment, and improves its performance over time through learning.
Who Should Consider the Whiz?
Target Audience
Commercial robots are acquired by businesses including restaurants, hotels, hospitals, retail stores, and logistics facilities. Purchasing decisions typically involve operations managers and IT departments evaluating ROI against human labor costs.
Key Considerations
Reliability and uptime, navigation in crowded dynamic environments, payload capacity, integration with business systems (POS, inventory management), ease of deployment and maintenance, and total cost of ownership (including service contracts) are the primary factors.
Pricing
Availability
ActiveThe Whiz has a status of Active. Check with SoftBank Robotics for the latest availability details.
Whiz: Strengths & Trade-offs
Engineering compromises and where this commercial robot excels
What the Whiz does well
Broad capability set
With 6 distinct capabilities, the Whiz is designed as a versatile platform rather than a single-task device. This breadth means the robot can handle varied scenarios and workflows, reducing the need for multiple specialized robots and increasing its utility across different situations.
Extended battery life
A battery life of Up to 3 hours (reported by The Robot Report, citing SoftBank) provides substantial operational runway. For commercial applications, this means longer work sessions between charges, fewer interruptions, and the ability to complete larger tasks or cover more area in a single charge cycle.
What to consider carefully
Focused sensor set
With 1 sensor type, the Whiz takes a minimalist approach to perception. While this keeps costs down and reduces complexity, it may limit the robot's ability to handle edge cases or operate in environments that demand multi-modal awareness. Buyers should verify that the available sensors cover their specific use-case requirements.
Charging time exceeds runtime
With a charging time of 4 hours compared to a battery life of Up to 3 hours (reported by The Robot Report, citing SoftBank), the Whiz spends more time charging than operating. This ratio is common in high-performance robotics but is an important factor for planning continuous-availability deployments.
Undisclosed pricing
SoftBank Robotics has not published a public price for the Whiz. While common for enterprise-class robotics, the absence of transparent pricing can complicate budgeting and comparison shopping. Prospective buyers will need to engage directly with the manufacturer for quotes, which may vary by configuration and volume.
Note: This strengths and trade-offs assessment is based on the Whiz's documented specifications as tracked in the ui44 database. Real-world performance depends on deployment conditions, firmware maturity, and environmental factors. For the most current information, check the SoftBank Robotics manufacturer page or visit the official product page. Use the comparison tool to evaluate these trade-offs against competing robots in the same category.
How Commercial Robot Technology Works
Understanding the engineering behind this category
Commercial robots operate in the demanding intersection of technology and business operations. From restaurant servers to warehouse movers, these robots must perform reliably in dynamic, crowded environments while delivering measurable return on investment. The technology behind commercial robots emphasizes reliability, integration with business systems, and graceful handling of the unpredictable situations that characterize human-occupied commercial spaces.
Navigation & Mobility
Commercial robots navigate environments that are significantly more challenging than typical homes — crowded restaurant floors, busy hotel lobbies, and dense warehouse aisles all present unique navigation challenges. These robots typically use LiDAR combined with depth cameras for robust obstacle detection, with special attention to detecting low-height obstacles (children, pets, dropped items) and moving obstacles (people walking unpredictably). Commercial-grade navigation includes fleet coordination — multiple robots sharing maps and position data to avoid congestion and optimize collective efficiency. Elevator integration allows robots to serve multiple floors autonomously.
The Role of AI
AI in commercial robots focuses on operational efficiency and customer interaction. Route optimization minimizes delivery times in restaurants. Task prioritization ensures urgent orders are handled first. Customer-facing AI must handle natural language interaction in noisy environments, provide useful information, and maintain a professional and brand-appropriate demeanor. Back-end AI integrates with business systems — restaurant POS (Point of Sale), hotel PMS (Property Management System), warehouse WMS (Warehouse Management System) — to receive tasks and report completions automatically. Predictive AI anticipates demand patterns, pre-positioning robots where they will be needed based on historical data.
Sensor Fusion & Perception
Commercial robots combine navigation sensors (LiDAR, cameras, ultrasonic) with application-specific sensors. Restaurant delivery robots use weight sensors to confirm payload presence and tilt sensors to maintain tray stability. Warehouse robots use barcode or RFID readers for inventory tracking. Hotel robots may include temperature sensors for room-service food. All commercial robots share the need for robust human detection — they must navigate safely around unpredictable human movement while maintaining efficient operation. Edge-case handling is critical: a restaurant robot must correctly respond to a child running into its path, a guest stepping backward without looking, or a server carrying a full tray through a narrow aisle.
Power & Battery Management
Commercial operations demand high uptime, making power management a business-critical concern. Robots serving during peak hours cannot afford lengthy charging breaks. Solutions include fast-charging docks positioned at strategic locations, hot-swappable battery packs for zero-downtime operation, and intelligent charging schedules that top up during naturally low-demand periods. Fleet management systems monitor battery levels across all robots and redistribute tasks to ensure no single robot runs critically low during service. Power consumption monitoring also feeds into TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) calculations that businesses use to evaluate robot deployment ROI.
Safety by Design
Commercial robots operate in regulated business environments with specific safety requirements. Food-handling robots must meet hygiene standards. Robots in public spaces must comply with accessibility requirements, avoiding blocking wheelchair paths or emergency exits. Speed limits are typically set below walking pace in pedestrian areas. Visual and audio signals indicate the robot's presence and intent — lights, gentle sounds, or voice announcements warn nearby people. Payload security ensures items being transported cannot fall. In warehouse environments, safety zones around humans trigger automatic speed reduction or stopping. Integration with building fire alarm and evacuation systems ensures robots do not obstruct emergency procedures.
What's Next for Commercial Robots
Commercial robotics is moving toward greater specialization and deeper business system integration. Rather than general-purpose commercial platforms, expect more robots designed specifically for restaurant table service, hotel room delivery, warehouse aisle picking, or retail shelf scanning. Fleet orchestration — coordinating dozens of robots across a large facility — will become more sophisticated. The business model is also evolving, with Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) subscriptions replacing upfront purchases, lowering the barrier to adoption for small and medium businesses.
The Whiz by SoftBank Robotics incorporates many of these technology pillars. For a detailed look at the specific sensors and components used in the Whiz, see the sensor analysis and connectivity sections above, or browse the complete components glossary for explanations of every technology used across the robotics industry.
Whiz in the Commercial Market
How this robot compares in the commercial landscape
SoftBank Robotics has not publicly disclosed pricing for the Whiz, which is typical for enterprise-focused robotics platforms that offer customized solutions and direct-sales relationships.
With 1 sensor type, the Whiz takes a focused approach to perception, prioritizing the sensor modalities most relevant to its specific tasks rather than carrying a broad general-purpose sensor array.
Being currently available for purchase gives the Whiz a practical advantage over competitors still in development or prototype stages. Buyers can evaluate the actual product rather than relying on spec-sheet promises that may change before release.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
Side-by-side specs, capability overlap analysis, and key differentiators.
For the full picture of SoftBank Robotics's portfolio and market strategy, visit the SoftBank Robotics manufacturer page.
Owning the Whiz: Setup, Maintenance & Tips
Practical guide from day one through years of ownership
Initial Setup
Commercial robot deployment is a project, not just a setup. Begin with a site assessment covering floor plans, traffic patterns, integration requirements, and staff training needs. Map the operating environment with the robot, marking restricted areas, service points, and charging stations. Integrate with business systems — POS for restaurants, PMS for hotels, WMS for warehouses. Train staff on robot interaction, troubleshooting, and emergency procedures. Run a supervised pilot period before transitioning to full autonomous operation. Gather and address staff and customer feedback during the pilot to optimize the deployment before scaling.
Ongoing Maintenance
Commercial robots earn their keep through consistent operation, making maintenance an operational priority rather than an afterthought. Establish daily visual inspection routines for operations staff. Schedule weekly maintenance windows for thorough cleaning, sensor calibration, and software updates. Track key performance indicators — delivery times, task completion rates, customer feedback — to detect performance degradation before it becomes noticeable. For food-handling robots, follow strict hygiene protocols including regular sanitization of tray surfaces and contact points. Multi-robot deployments benefit from staggered maintenance schedules to maintain coverage.
Software Updates & Long-Term Support
Commercial robot updates can add new capabilities, improve navigation in your specific environment, and fix operational edge cases. The manufacturer may release updates based on fleet-wide learning — improvements discovered at one deployment benefiting all customers. Test significant updates during low-traffic periods before deploying to your full fleet. Keep communication channels open with your robot vendor's support team to provide feedback that can drive improvement in future updates.
Maximizing Longevity
Commercial robots in daily operation can last three to five years or more with proper care. The primary wear items are wheels, motors, and batteries. Maintain a spare parts inventory for consumables to minimize downtime. Track operating hours and correlate with maintenance needs to develop predictive maintenance schedules specific to your deployment conditions. Consider the total cost of ownership over the deployment lifetime when evaluating robot vendors — the cheapest robot up front may cost more over five years if parts are expensive or support is limited.
For SoftBank Robotics-specific support resources and documentation, visit the SoftBank Robotics page on ui44 or check the manufacturer's official website at SoftBank Robotics's product page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Whiz?
How much does the Whiz cost?
Is the Whiz available to buy?
What sensors does the Whiz have?
How long does the Whiz battery last?
What AI does the Whiz use?
How does the Whiz compare to the Pepper?
Does the Whiz work with smart home systems?
How current is the Whiz data on ui44?
Data Integrity
All Whiz data on ui44 is verified against official SoftBank Robotics sources, including spec sheets, product pages, and press releases. Last verified: 2026-03-05. Official source: SoftBank Robotics product page. If you find outdated or incorrect information, please let us know — accuracy is our top priority.
Explore More on ui44
Manufacturer
Category
Explore more commercial robots
See how the Whiz stacks up — compare specs, browse the commercial category, or search the full database.