Darwin-OP vs MAiRA
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and MAiRA (NEURA 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
- MAiRAGermany
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- MAiRA2023
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- MAiRA0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- MAiRA$5,570–$44,600 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- MAiRA—
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- MAiRAACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- MAiRA—
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- MAiRA56 kg
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- MAiRAstatic
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- MAiRAanthropomorphic torso
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- MAiRA—
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- MAiRANo
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- MAiRAflat indoor, uneven outdoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- MAiRA18 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- MAiRA7
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- MAiRA7
Arm Reach
- Darwin-OP—
- MAiRA110 cm
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- MAiRANo
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- MAiRA—
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- MAiRANo
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- MAiRAfalse
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- MAiRANo
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- MAiRAEtherCAT, TCP/IP, Modbus
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- MAiRA—
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- MAiRANo
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- MAiRAnone
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- MAiRANo
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- MAiRANo
Reliability
IP Rating
- Darwin-OP—
- MAiRAIP65
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- MAiRAcommercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- MAiRA$5,570–$44,600 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- MAiRA—
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- MAiRApurchase
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- MAiRA—
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- MAiRAmachine_tending, quality_inspection, paletizing, gluing_and_dosing
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | Germany |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | 2023 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $5,570–$44,600 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | — |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | — |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 56 kg |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | bipedal | static |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | full bipedal | anthropomorphic torso |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | — |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat indoor, uneven outdoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 18 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 7 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | 7 |
| Arm Reach (values differ) | — | 110 cm |
| Bimanual Coordination | No | No |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | — |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models | false | false |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | EtherCAT, TCP/IP, Modbus |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | — |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | none |
| ROS Support (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Reliability | ||
| IP Rating (priority for Manufacturing buyers) (values differ) | — | IP65 |
| Deployment Maturity | commercial | commercial |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $5,570–$44,600 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | — |
| Pricing Model | purchase | purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | machine_tending, quality_inspection, paletizing, gluing_and_dosing |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Payload (Peak), Hand DOF, 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 | MAiRA |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $25,085 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 6.0 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $224,915 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +897% |
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 MAiRA?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. MAiRA is made by NEURA Robotics, based in DE.
When were Darwin-OP and MAiRA launched?
Darwin-OP launched in 2010. MAiRA launched in 2023.
How do Darwin-OP and MAiRA compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. MAiRA grades A. 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 MAiRA 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 MAiRA?
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 MAiRA 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.