How to brief a robot hire supplier: what to include

A useful request to a robot supplier says what the robot is for, where and when it will work, how many hours of actual activity you need, who will be around it and what support you expect. With that, a supplier can tell you whether the job is possible and quote it. Without it, the first reply is a list of questions and days are lost.

Why the first message sets the pace

A message like "how much for a robot at our stand in May" cannot be quoted. The supplier replies with questions, you answer a couple of days later, and a week can pass before anyone knows whether the job is even feasible. That is why the request form on this site asks up front for the things that decide whether a deployment works: purpose, venue and floor, dates, active programme hours, audience, languages, whether you need an operator on site, and a budget range.

The essentials to include

What the robot is for. An attraction that stops people in an aisle, a scripted greeting, a product handover, a stage moment or content for social media. Add what success looks like: dwell time, photos, a clean cue on stage.
Dates and times. Event days, build and breakdown days, opening hours. If the date is not fixed, say so. This platform records a missing date as unknown rather than leaving the field empty, because suppliers treat the two differently.
Hours of active programme per day. Not the opening hours, but the time the robot actually performs. Battery life is the reason: Unitree, for example, states about two hours for its G1, a manufacturer figure rather than a measurement at your venue. A long day therefore needs charging breaks or spare batteries.
The venue. Address, indoor or outdoor, and the real floor finish rather than the one on the plan. This site's safety guide notes that loose cable mats, deep carpet, polished stone, gratings and thresholds all change how a legged robot walks. Add the access route: lift dimensions and weight limits, door widths and any steps.
The people around it. Expected numbers, whether children will be there, whether visitors may touch the robot, and whether you expect queues.
Languages and content. Which languages, who writes the script, whether you want dancing, a speech or interaction. Say how loud the space will be. Some venues limit noise: Messe Frankfurt, for instance, caps sound levels at 70 dB(A) at stand boundaries.
Operator and staffing. Whether you expect an operator on site (for a public event, assume yes) and who on your side will be the contact person on the day.
Power and connectivity. How many sockets, where charging can happen, and what the venue allows for wireless networks. Ask whether the robot or its controller relies on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth; Unitree lists Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 for the G1. Venues can restrict this: Messe Frankfurt allows exhibitors' own Wi-Fi transmitters only in the 2.4 GHz band and asks for them to be registered in good time.
Branding. Costume, wrap or screen content, and when your artwork will be ready.
Venue requirements. Insurance limits the venue requires, who performs and signs the risk assessment, and any approval the venue or fair needs from you.
Budget range. It lets suppliers propose a format that fits instead of guessing.

What you can leave open

The model. Describe the job and let suppliers propose a robot they can actually supply. If you need a specific model, say why. For older models, ask about availability early: this site's Pepper page notes that the robot's production status has changed over the years, and the NAO page that several hardware generations exist, so ask which one a supplier holds.
The exact date. An honest "not fixed yet" or a date range is more useful than a placeholder date.
An account. You do not need one to start a brief. You confirm your email address so suppliers know the request is genuine.

What happens after you send it

The brief is not broadcast. Hard filters first remove suppliers who cannot serve it: wrong country, wrong service type, no unit available on your dates, or a lead time that is too short. The remaining suppliers are ranked, and the brief goes to at most three of them in the first wave; if none responds in time, it widens.

Suppliers reply with itemised quotes, and each quote has its own private thread. Suppliers cannot see each other or each other's quotes. Nothing is booked until you accept a quote and the supplier confirms the date against a specific physical unit. The full process is described on how it works.

Checklist: a brief a supplier can quote from

Purpose of the robot and what success looks like
Dates or "not fixed yet", build and breakdown days, opening hours
Active programme hours per day
Venue address, indoor or outdoor, real floor finish
Access route: lift size and weight limit, door widths, steps
Audience size and type; touching allowed or not
Languages, script, music, expected noise level
Operator on site; your contact person on the day
Sockets, charging location, Wi-Fi rules
Branding and artwork date
Insurance limits and venue approvals
Budget range

When the list is complete, send a request. If price is your first question, read how much it costs to hire a humanoid robot first.

FAQ

Do I need to know which robot model I want?

No. Describe the job, the venue and the audience, and suppliers will propose a model they can supply. If a particular model matters to you, say why.

What if my event date is not confirmed yet?

Send the brief anyway and mark the date as unknown or give a range. Suppliers can still tell you whether the job is feasible and what it would involve.

How many suppliers will receive my request?

On this platform, at most three in the first wave, chosen after filters remove suppliers who cannot serve the brief. If none responds in time, the circle widens.

Should I share my budget?

A range helps. It lets suppliers suggest a format that fits, such as a shorter programme or one robot instead of two, rather than quoting something you cannot use.

Sources

How this guide was made: prepared with AI assistance; every factual statement was checked against the sources listed above on 12 October 2026. Spotted an error? Write to info@humanoid4rent.com.