Armar 6 vs Kirobo Mini
Side-by-side comparison of Armar 6 (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) and Kirobo Mini (Toyota) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Optimized for Agriculture buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Armar 6Germany
- Kirobo MiniJapan
Year First Available
- Armar 62017
- Kirobo Mini2016
Verified Deployments
- Armar 60 Deployments
- Kirobo Mini0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Armar 6$87 USD
- Kirobo Mini$474 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Armar 62 hrs
- Kirobo Mini2.5 hrs
Availability Status
- Armar 6ACTIVE
- Kirobo MiniACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Armar 6192 mm
- Kirobo Mini10 cm
Weight
- Armar 6150 kg
- Kirobo Mini0.2 kg
Mobility Type
- Armar 6bipedal
- Kirobo Ministatic
Humanoid Subtype
- Armar 6full bipedal
- Kirobo Minifull bipedal
Walking Speed
- Armar 63.6 m/s
- Kirobo Mini—
Stair Climbing
- Armar 6No
- Kirobo MiniNo
Terrain
- Armar 6flat indoor
- Kirobo Miniflat indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Armar 610 kg
- Kirobo Mini—
Total DOF
- Armar 627
- Kirobo Mini—
Arm DOF
- Armar 68
- Kirobo Mini—
Hand DOF
- Armar 64
- Kirobo Mini—
Bimanual Coordination
- Armar 6Yes
- Kirobo MiniNo
Tool Use
- Armar 6vendor demo
- Kirobo Mini—
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Armar 6Various computers for processing tasks
- Kirobo Mini—
Compute Platform
- Armar 6Intel Core i7-6700
- Kirobo Mini—
VLM Capable
- Armar 6No
- Kirobo MiniNo
Foundation Models
- Armar 6false
- Kirobo Mini—
Imitation Learning
- Armar 6No
- Kirobo MiniNo
Programming
- Armar 6ArmarX (custom software)
- Kirobo Minidedicated app
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Armar 62.5 hrs
- Kirobo Mini2.5 hrs
Battery Swap
- Armar 6No
- Kirobo MiniNo
Safety
Human Detection Method
- Armar 6vision human
- Kirobo Mini—
Software
SDK Languages
- Armar 6Python
- Kirobo MiniJapanese
ROS Support
- Armar 6No
- Kirobo MiniNo
Open API
- Armar 6No
- Kirobo MiniNo
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Armar 6prototype
- Kirobo Minicommercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Armar 6$87 USD
- Kirobo Mini$474 USD
Price Tier
- Armar 6<10K
- Kirobo Miniunder_50k
Pricing Model
- Armar 6capex
- Kirobo Minioutright purchase
Applications
- Armar 6eldercare_assistance, hospitality
- Kirobo Minieldercare_assistance, hospitality
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Germany | Japan |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2017 | 2016 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $87 USD | $474 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Agriculture buyers) (values differ) | 2 hrs | 2.5 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 192 mm | 10 cm |
| Weight (values differ) | 150 kg | 0.2 kg |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | bipedal | static |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 3.6 m/s | — |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | 10 kg | — |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 27 | — |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 8 | — |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | 4 | — |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Tool Use (values differ) | vendor demo | — |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Various computers for processing tasks | — |
| Compute Platform (values differ) | Intel Core i7-6700 | — |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | false | — |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | ArmarX (custom software) | dedicated app |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime | 2.5 hrs | 2.5 hrs |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Safety | ||
| Human Detection Method (values differ) | vision human | — |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Python | Japanese |
| ROS Support | No | No |
| Open API | No | No |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | prototype | commercial |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $87 USD | $474 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | <10K | under_50k |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | capex | outright purchase |
| Applications (values differ) | eldercare_assistance, hospitality | eldercare_assistance, hospitality |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Payload (Peak), Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Teleoperation, Battery Capacity, Charging Time, Charging Method, Avg Power Consumption, Force-Limited Arms, Fall Recovery, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, 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
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 | Armar 6 | Kirobo Mini |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $87 | $474 |
| Payback period | < 1 mo | < 1 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $249,913 | $249,526 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +287322% | +52643% |
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 Armar 6 and Kirobo Mini?
Armar 6 is made by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, based in DE. Kirobo Mini is made by Toyota, based in JP.
When were Armar 6 and Kirobo Mini launched?
Armar 6 launched in 2017. Kirobo Mini launched in 2016.
How much does Armar 6 cost compared to Kirobo Mini?
Armar 6 is listed at $87. Kirobo Mini is listed at $474.
How do Armar 6 and Kirobo Mini compare on the Robo Index?
Armar 6 grades B on the Robo Index. Kirobo Mini grades AA. 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 Armar 6 and Kirobo Mini 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 Armar 6 and Kirobo Mini?
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
Armar 6 vs Kirobo Mini 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.