Yeah, I can see Prof. Hector working in the background while R.O.B. fights.
Also, heres my take on R.O.B.'s subspace role: This playable R.O.B. is an improved design than that of the R.O.B. Squad minions. Larger and more adaptable into what we see in a playable character. The story is that the Subspace Army stole Prof Hectors' first completed R.O.B. blueprints and used them to mass produce those R.O.B. Squad generic ones.
Seeing that they are being used for evil (detonating them bombs), Prof. Hector develops and refines his original R.O.B. design into the playable one to combat the Subspace Army. What do you all thinkl?