Darwin-OP vs HRP-4
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and HRP-4 (Kawada Industries) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- HRP-4Japan
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- HRP-42010
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- HRP-40 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- HRP-4$300,000–$305,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- HRP-40.4 hrs
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- HRP-4ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- HRP-4151 mm
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- HRP-439 kg
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- HRP-4bipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- HRP-4research platform
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- HRP-40.6 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- HRP-4No
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- HRP-4flat indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- HRP-40.5 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- HRP-434
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- HRP-47
Hand DOF
- Darwin-OP—
- HRP-42
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- HRP-4Yes
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- HRP-4Linux kernel with RT-Preempt patch
Compute Platform
- Darwin-OP—
- HRP-4Intel Pentium M (1.6 GHz)
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- HRP-4No
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- HRP-4false
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- HRP-4No
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- HRP-4code_ros
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- HRP-40.4 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- HRP-4No
Safety
Human Detection Method
- Darwin-OP—
- HRP-4vision human
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- HRP-4Linux
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- HRP-4Yes
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- HRP-4No
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- HRP-4prototype
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- HRP-4$300,000–$305,000 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- HRP-4150K+
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- HRP-4purchase
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- HRP-4—
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- HRP-4research
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | Japan |
| Year First Available | 2010 | 2010 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $300,000–$305,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 0.4 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 151 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 39 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | full bipedal | research platform |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 0.6 m/s |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 0.5 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 34 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 2 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | Linux kernel with RT-Preempt patch |
| Compute Platform (values differ) | — | Intel Pentium M (1.6 GHz) |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models | false | false |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | code_ros |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 0.4 hrs |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Safety | ||
| Human Detection Method (values differ) | — | vision human |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | Linux |
| ROS Support | Yes | Yes |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | prototype |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $300,000–$305,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | 150K+ |
| Pricing Model | purchase | purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | research |
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, Tool Use, 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, Production Pilots
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 | Darwin-OP | HRP-4 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $302,500 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 72.6 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | -$52,500 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | -17% |
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 Darwin-OP and HRP-4?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. HRP-4 is made by Kawada Industries, based in JP.
When were Darwin-OP and HRP-4 launched?
Darwin-OP launched in 2010. HRP-4 launched in 2010.
How do Darwin-OP and HRP-4 compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AAA on the Robo Index. HRP-4 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 Darwin-OP and HRP-4 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 Darwin-OP and HRP-4?
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
Darwin-OP vs HRP-4 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.