CHARLI vs Walker S2
Side-by-side comparison of CHARLI (UCLA and RoMeLa) and Walker S2 (UBTECH Robotics Corp Ltd.) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- CHARLIUnited States
- Walker S2China
Year First Available
- CHARLI2011
- Walker S22025
Verified Deployments
- CHARLI0 Deployments
- Walker S20 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- CHARLIContact for quote
- Walker S2$99,995–$314,286 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- CHARLI0.5 hrs
- Walker S22 hrs
Availability Status
- CHARLIACTIVE
- Walker S2ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- CHARLI141 mm
- Walker S2176 mm
Weight
- CHARLI12.1 kg
- Walker S295 kg
Mobility Type
- CHARLIbipedal
- Walker S2bipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- CHARLIfull bipedal
- Walker S2full bipedal
Walking Speed
- CHARLI2.1 m/s
- Walker S22 m/s
Running Capable
- CHARLIdynamic walk
- Walker S2—
Stair Climbing
- CHARLINo
- Walker S2Yes
Terrain
- CHARLIrough_indoor, outdoor_unstructured
- Walker S2flat indoor, stairs
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- CHARLI—
- Walker S252 kg
Total DOF
- CHARLI20
- Walker S252
Arm DOF
- CHARLI4
- Walker S27
Hand DOF
- CHARLI1
- Walker S27
Bimanual Coordination
- CHARLINo
- Walker S2Yes
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- CHARLISingle-board computer with 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU
- Walker S2X86 + NVIDIA Jetson Orin
VLM Capable
- CHARLINo
- Walker S2No
Foundation Models
- CHARLIfalse
- Walker S2false
Imitation Learning
- CHARLINo
- Walker S2No
Programming
- CHARLIUbuntu Linux OS and custom operation and control program coded in C++
- Walker S2code_ros
Battery & Power
Runtime
- CHARLI0.5 hrs
- Walker S22 hrs
Battery Swap
- CHARLINo
- Walker S2Yes
Software
SDK Languages
- CHARLIC++
- Walker S2Python
ROS Support
- CHARLINo
- Walker S2Yes
Open API
- CHARLINo
- Walker S2Yes
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- CHARLIprototype
- Walker S2commercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- CHARLIContact for quote
- Walker S2$99,995–$314,286 USD
Price Tier
- CHARLI—
- Walker S280-150K
Pricing Model
- CHARLI—
- Walker S2purchase
Production Pilots
- CHARLIRoboCup
- Walker S2—
Applications
- CHARLIresearch
- Walker S2industrial automation, 24/7 manufacturing
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | United States | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2011 | 2025 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | Contact for quote | $99,995–$314,286 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 2 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 141 mm | 176 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 12.1 kg | 95 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 2.1 m/s | 2 m/s |
| Running Capable (values differ) | dynamic walk | — |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Terrain (values differ) | rough_indoor, outdoor_unstructured | flat indoor, stairs |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 52 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 52 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 4 | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | 1 | 7 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Single-board computer with 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU | X86 + NVIDIA Jetson Orin |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models | false | false |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | Ubuntu Linux OS and custom operation and control program coded in C++ | code_ros |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 2 hrs |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | Python |
| ROS Support (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Open API (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | prototype | commercial |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | Contact for quote | $99,995–$314,286 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | — | 80-150K |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | — | purchase |
| Production Pilots (values differ) | RoboCup | — |
| Applications (values differ) | research | industrial automation, 24/7 manufacturing |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Payload (Peak), Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Tool Use, Compute Platform, Teleoperation, Battery Capacity, Charging Time, Charging Method, Avg Power Consumption, Force-Limited Arms, 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
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 | CHARLI | Walker S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | No price | $207,140 |
| Payback period | — | 49.7 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | — | $42,860 |
| ROI (5 yr) | — | +21% |
CHARLI 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 CHARLI and Walker S2?
CHARLI is made by UCLA and RoMeLa, based in US. Walker S2 is made by UBTECH Robotics Corp Ltd., based in CN.
When were CHARLI and Walker S2 launched?
CHARLI launched in 2011. Walker S2 launched in 2025.
How do CHARLI and Walker S2 compare on the Robo Index?
CHARLI grades A on the Robo Index. Walker S2 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 CHARLI and Walker S2 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 CHARLI and Walker S2?
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
CHARLI vs Walker S2 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.