Darwin-OP vs Kinisi KR1
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and Kinisi KR1 (Kinisi Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Manufacturing buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- Kinisi KR1United States
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- Kinisi KR12023
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- Kinisi KR10 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- Kinisi KR1$75,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- Kinisi KR18 hrs
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- Kinisi KR1ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- Kinisi KR1162 mm
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- Kinisi KR1100 kg
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- Kinisi KR1wheeled
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- Kinisi KR1wheeled humanoid
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- Kinisi KR14.5 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- Kinisi KR1No
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- Kinisi KR1flat indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- Kinisi KR110 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- Kinisi KR121
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- Kinisi KR1—
Hand DOF
- Darwin-OP—
- Kinisi KR12
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- Kinisi KR1No
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- Kinisi KR1Nvidia Jetson
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- Kinisi KR1No
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- Kinisi KR1false
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- Kinisi KR1No
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- Kinisi KR1LLM integration
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- Kinisi KR18 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- Kinisi KR1Yes
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- Kinisi KR1LLM integration
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- Kinisi KR1No
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- Kinisi KR1No
Reliability
IP Rating
- Darwin-OP—
- Kinisi KR1IP 65
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- Kinisi KR1prototype
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- Kinisi KR1$75,000 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- Kinisi KR150k_150k
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- Kinisi KR1outright purchase
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- Kinisi KR1—
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- Kinisi KR1warehouse_transport, assembly
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | 2023 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $75,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 162 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 100 kg |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | bipedal | wheeled |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | full bipedal | wheeled humanoid |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 4.5 m/s |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 10 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 21 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | — |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 2 |
| Bimanual Coordination | No | No |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | Nvidia Jetson |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models | false | false |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | LLM integration |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | LLM integration |
| ROS Support (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Reliability | ||
| IP Rating (priority for Manufacturing buyers) (values differ) | — | IP 65 |
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | prototype |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $75,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | 50k_150k |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | purchase | outright purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | warehouse_transport, assembly |
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, 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, 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 | Kinisi KR1 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $75,000 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 18.0 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $175,000 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +233% |
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 Kinisi KR1?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. Kinisi KR1 is made by Kinisi Robotics, based in US.
When were Darwin-OP and Kinisi KR1 launched?
Darwin-OP launched in 2010. Kinisi KR1 launched in 2023.
How much does Darwin-OP cost compared to Kinisi KR1?
Darwin-OP is listed at $12,000. Kinisi KR1 is listed at $75,000.
How do Darwin-OP and Kinisi KR1 compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. Kinisi KR1 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 Darwin-OP and Kinisi KR1 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 Kinisi KR1?
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 Kinisi KR1 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.