‘Param’ Robot Dog By Bengaluru Startup Turns Heads At India AI Impact Expo 2026

Bengaluru-based startup General Autonomy has drawn strong attention at the India AI Impact Expo 2026 in New Delhi with its indigenous quadruped robot dog, 'Param', a four-legged machine that can move independently, climb stairs and navigate complex urban settings.

Unveiled as a fully homebuilt system engineered by Indian developers, Param has been positioned by the company as a domestically designed and manufactured robot rather than one assembled from imported components. In a post announcing the project, General Autonomy described Param as "India's most powerful indigenous robot dog", emphasising that it was built entirely by Indian engineers.

At the India AI Impact Expo 2026, Param featured among several deep-tech projects ranging from sign language models to live dubbing tools. Within this wider showcase, the robot dog stood out for its focus on hardware design and local prototyping.

Demonstration footage shared by the startup shows Param weaving through Bengaluru traffic, adjusting to tight spaces and shifts in terrain. The robot can climb steps up to 30 cm high, move across uneven surfaces and perform a sideways 'crab walk' to pass beneath low obstacles. It is also able to regain balance independently if it trips during movement.

According to the company, development of Param builds on earlier work involving a humanoid robot platform. The team said the quadruped project has been under active development for about seven months, with updates and performance improvements being made every fortnight.

Param uses onboard sensors to support autonomous navigation and tracking, allowing it to move with limited direct control from operators. These systems help detect obstacles and plan routes in dynamic environments such as crowded roads or cluttered indoor facilities, making it suitable for inspection, monitoring and research tasks.

Prior to its appearance at the Delhi expo, the robot dog was presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a programme marking ten years of Startup India, where deep-tech startups were invited to demonstrate emerging technologies.

Quadruped robots such as Param are typically designed for locations where wheeled machines face limitations. Their legged structure allows them to climb stairs, cross debris, operate on slopes and carry tools or sensors while maintaining stability across uneven ground.

Globally, such systems are already used for industrial inspection in factories, power plants and construction sites. They can enter confined or hazardous areas, monitor temperatures or gas levels and assist safety teams during emergency situations. In disaster zones, robot dogs may be deployed to search through rubble without exposing human responders to unstable structures.

However, these machines remain relatively expensive to produce, consume significant power and often carry less payload than conventional vehicles of a similar size.

The introduction of Param at the India AI Impact Expo 2026 highlights growing domestic work in advanced robotics, with locally developed systems being explored for use in inspection, safety, security and scientific operations across varied environments.