AlphaBot 2 vs Shalu
Side-by-side comparison of AlphaBot 2 (AI² Robotics) and Shalu (IIT Bombay) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, 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
- AlphaBot 2China
- Shalu—
Year First Available
- AlphaBot 22025
- Shalu2021
Verified Deployments
- AlphaBot 20 Deployments
- Shalu0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- AlphaBot 2Contact for quote
- Shalu$710 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- AlphaBot 26 hrs
- Shalu—
Availability Status
- AlphaBot 2ACTIVE
- ShaluACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Mobility Type
- AlphaBot 2bipedal
- Shalubipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- AlphaBot 2full bipedal
- Shaluservice humanoid
Running Capable
- AlphaBot 2static walk
- Shalu—
Stair Climbing
- AlphaBot 2Yes
- Shalunone
Terrain
- AlphaBot 2flat indoor, uneven outdoor
- Shaluindoor
Payload & Dexterity
Total DOF
- AlphaBot 234
- Shalu—
Arm Reach
- AlphaBot 270 cm
- Shalu—
Manipulation Repeatability
- AlphaBot 2±0.02 mm
- Shalu—
Bimanual Coordination
- AlphaBot 2Yes
- Shalu—
Tool Use
- AlphaBot 2production validated
- Shalu—
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- AlphaBot 2Alpha Brain
- Shalu—
Compute Platform
- AlphaBot 2ATMEGA328P-AU (8-bit AVR, 16 MHz)
- Shalu—
VLM Capable
- AlphaBot 2No
- Shalu—
Foundation Models
- AlphaBot 2Alpha Brain GOVLA
- Shalu—
Imitation Learning
- AlphaBot 2No
- Shalu—
Teleoperation
- AlphaBot 2none
- Shalu—
Programming
- AlphaBot 2VLA (Vision-Language-Action)
- Shalucode_python, voice
Battery & Power
Runtime
- AlphaBot 26 hrs
- Shalu—
Charging Method
- AlphaBot 2manual swap
- Shalu—
Battery Swap
- AlphaBot 2No
- Shalu—
Safety
Force-Limited Arms
- AlphaBot 2Yes
- Shalu—
Fall Recovery
- AlphaBot 2Yes
- Shalu—
Human Detection Method
- AlphaBot 2multi modal
- Shalu—
Safe Speed Near Humans
- AlphaBot 2none
- Shalu—
Software
SDK Languages
- AlphaBot 2Python, ROS2
- Shalucode_python, voice
ROS Support
- AlphaBot 2ros2 vendor
- Shalunone
Open API
- AlphaBot 2open rest websocket
- ShaluNo
Air-Gap Capable
- AlphaBot 2Yes
- Shalu—
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- AlphaBot 2commercial
- Shaluproduction pilot
Commercial
Price (USD)
- AlphaBot 2Contact for quote
- Shalu$710 USD
Price Tier
- AlphaBot 2150K+
- Shalu<10K
Pricing Model
- AlphaBot 2capex, pilot_fee
- Shalu—
Developer Unit Price
- AlphaBot 2—
- Shalu$680
Production Pilots
- AlphaBot 2Huaxi Bio (华熙生物)
- Shalu—
Applications
- AlphaBot 2assembly, inspection, warehouse_transport, hospitality
- Shalueducation, hospitality, eldercare_assistance
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | China | — |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2025 | 2021 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | Contact for quote | $710 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 6 hrs | — |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | full bipedal | service humanoid |
| Running Capable (values differ) | static walk | — |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | Yes | none |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor, uneven outdoor | indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Total DOF (values differ) | 34 | — |
| Arm Reach (values differ) | 70 cm | — |
| Manipulation Repeatability (values differ) | ±0.02 mm | — |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Tool Use (values differ) | production validated | — |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Alpha Brain | — |
| Compute Platform (values differ) | ATMEGA328P-AU (8-bit AVR, 16 MHz) | — |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | No | — |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | Alpha Brain GOVLA | — |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | No | — |
| Teleoperation (values differ) | none | — |
| Programming (values differ) | VLA (Vision-Language-Action) | code_python, voice |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 6 hrs | — |
| Charging Method (values differ) | manual swap | — |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | No | — |
| Safety | ||
| Force-Limited Arms (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Fall Recovery (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Human Detection Method (values differ) | multi modal | — |
| Safe Speed Near Humans (values differ) | none | — |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Python, ROS2 | code_python, voice |
| ROS Support (values differ) | ros2 vendor | none |
| Open API (values differ) | open rest websocket | No |
| Air-Gap Capable (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | production pilot |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | Contact for quote | $710 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 150K+ | <10K |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | capex, pilot_fee | — |
| Developer Unit Price (values differ) | — | $680 |
| Production Pilots (values differ) | Huaxi Bio (华熙生物) | — |
| Applications (values differ) | assembly, inspection, warehouse_transport, hospitality | education, hospitality, eldercare_assistance |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Height, Weight, Walking Speed, Payload, Payload (Peak), Arm DOF, Hand DOF, Grip Strength, Battery Capacity, Charging Time, Avg Power Consumption, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Simulation Platforms, MTBF, Task Success Rate, IP Rating, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, Delivery Lead Time, Warranty
ROI Comparison
Same operating assumptions across every robot — the only difference is price. Set your numbers once to see which pays back fastest.
Annual labor displaced (per robot): $50,000
| Metric | AlphaBot 2 | Shalu |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | No price | $710 |
| Payback period | — | < 1 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | — | $249,290 |
| ROI (5 yr) | — | +35111% |
AlphaBot 2 has no listed price, so payback can't be computed. Contact the manufacturer for a quote.
Estimates labor-cost displacement only — not a full total cost of ownership. Actual ROI depends on integration, maintenance, training, downtime, and task fit. Converted currencies are indicative; USD is the price of record.
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes AlphaBot 2 and Shalu?
AlphaBot 2 is made by AI² Robotics, based in CN. Shalu is made by IIT Bombay.
When were AlphaBot 2 and Shalu launched?
AlphaBot 2 launched in 2025. Shalu launched in 2021.
How do AlphaBot 2 and Shalu compare on the Robo Index?
AlphaBot 2 grades AA on the Robo Index. Shalu grades BBB. The Robo Index is a credibility grade (AAA … C) that blends commercial maturity, verified deployments, company standing, and independent coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are AlphaBot 2 and Shalu 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 AlphaBot 2 and Shalu?
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
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About this comparison
AlphaBot 2 vs Shalu 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 Robo Index is calculated.