Alpha 1S vs Valkyrie
Side-by-side comparison of Alpha 1S (UBTECH Robotics Corp Ltd.) and Valkyrie (NASA) — specs, pricing, Robolist Product Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Optimized for Healthcare & Hospitals buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Alpha 1SChina
- Valkyrie—
Year First Available
- Alpha 1S2013
- Valkyrie2013
Verified Deployments
- Alpha 1S0 Deployments
- Valkyrie0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price Range (USD)
- Alpha 1S$3,999
- Valkyrie$2,450
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Alpha 1S1 hrs
- Valkyrie1 hrs
Availability Status
- Alpha 1SACTIVE
- ValkyrieACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Alpha 1S59 mm
- Valkyrie180 mm
Weight
- Alpha 1S4 kg
- Valkyrie136 kg
Mobility Type
- Alpha 1Sbipedal
- Valkyriebipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Alpha 1Sservice humanoid
- Valkyriefull bipedal
Stair Climbing
- Alpha 1SNo
- Valkyrie—
Terrain
- Alpha 1Sflat indoor
- Valkyrierough_indoor, outdoor_unstructured
Payload & Dexterity
Total DOF
- Alpha 1S20
- Valkyrie32
Arm DOF
- Alpha 1S3
- Valkyrie7
Hand DOF
- Alpha 1S—
- Valkyrie6
Bimanual Coordination
- Alpha 1SNo
- Valkyrie—
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Alpha 1SRM 32位 Cortex-A7 CPU: 900MHz
- ValkyrieHigh-performance processors
Compute Platform
- Alpha 1S—
- ValkyrieIntel Core i7
VLM Capable
- Alpha 1SNo
- Valkyrie—
Foundation Models
- Alpha 1Sfalse
- Valkyrie—
Imitation Learning
- Alpha 1SNo
- Valkyrie—
Teleoperation
- Alpha 1S—
- Valkyrievr_headset
Programming
- Alpha 1Smodular programming
- Valkyrieteleoperation
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Alpha 1S1 hrs
- Valkyrie1 hrs
Battery Capacity
- Alpha 1S—
- Valkyrie1.8 kWh
Charging Method
- Alpha 1S—
- Valkyrietethered
Battery Swap
- Alpha 1SNo
- ValkyrieYes
Safety
Force-Limited Arms
- Alpha 1S—
- ValkyrieYes
Software
SDK Languages
- Alpha 1SChinese
- Valkyrieteleoperation
ROS Support
- Alpha 1SNo
- Valkyrieros2 community
Open API
- Alpha 1SNo
- ValkyrieYes
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Alpha 1Scommercial
- Valkyrieprototype
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Alpha 1S$3,999
- Valkyrie$2,450
Price Tier
- Alpha 1S40-80K
- Valkyrie10-20K
Pricing Model
- Alpha 1Spurchase
- Valkyriepurchase
Applications
- Alpha 1S娱乐
- Valkyriehazardous_env
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | China | — |
| Year First Available | 2013 | 2013 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price Range (USD) (values differ) | $3,999 | $2,450 |
| Battery / Shift Runtime | 1 hrs | 1 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 59 mm | 180 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 4 kg | 136 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | service humanoid | full bipedal |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | — |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | rough_indoor, outdoor_unstructured |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 32 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 6 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | — |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | RM 32位 Cortex-A7 CPU: 900MHz | High-performance processors |
| Compute Platform (values differ) | — | Intel Core i7 |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | No | — |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | false | — |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | No | — |
| Teleoperation (values differ) | — | vr_headset |
| Programming (values differ) | modular programming | teleoperation |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime | 1 hrs | 1 hrs |
| Battery Capacity (values differ) | — | 1.8 kWh |
| Charging Method (values differ) | — | tethered |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Safety | ||
| Force-Limited Arms (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Chinese | teleoperation |
| ROS Support (values differ) | No | ros2 community |
| Open API (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | prototype |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $3,999 | $2,450 |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 40-80K | 10-20K |
| Pricing Model | purchase | purchase |
| Applications (values differ) | 娱乐 | hazardous_env |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Walking Speed, Running Capable, Payload, Payload (Peak), Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Tool Use, Charging Time, Avg Power Consumption, Fall Recovery, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Human Detection Method, Safe Speed Near Humans, Simulation Platforms, Air-Gap Capable, MTBF, Task Success Rate, IP Rating, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, Developer Unit Price, Delivery Lead Time, Warranty, Production Pilots
best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes Alpha 1S and Valkyrie?
Alpha 1S is made by UBTECH Robotics Corp Ltd., based in CN. Valkyrie is made by NASA.
When were Alpha 1S and Valkyrie launched?
Alpha 1S launched in 2013. Valkyrie launched in 2013.
How much does Alpha 1S cost compared to Valkyrie?
Alpha 1S is listed at $3,999. Valkyrie is listed at $2,450.
How do Alpha 1S and Valkyrie compare on the Robolist Product Score?
Alpha 1S scores 38/100. Valkyrie scores 46/100. The Product Score blends specs, pricing transparency, verified deployments, and independent media coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are Alpha 1S and Valkyrie in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Humanoid on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Humanoid robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Humanoid TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: Humanoid TCO: Hardware, Cloud Subscriptions, and the Cost of Teleop Time.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between Alpha 1S and Valkyrie?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: Vendor Selection for Humanoids: The 10 Questions You Must Ask.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
Humanoid TCO: Hardware, Cloud Subscriptions, and the Cost of Teleop Time
8 min readHumanoid Robots
Vendor Selection for Humanoids: The 10 Questions You Must Ask
10 min readHumanoid Robots
Running a Humanoid Pilot: Scope, Success Criteria, and Exit Options
9 min readHumanoid Robots
Build vs buy vs lease: which model fits a first deployment
8 min readChoosing Your First Robot
The hidden specs vendors hope you'll miss
10 min readReading the Spec Sheet
About this comparison
Alpha 1S vs Valkyrie compares two robots in the humanoid category. All data is sourced from manufacturer spec sheets, verified deployments, and third-party filings; see our methodology for how the Robolist Product Score is calculated.