Darwin-OP vs Robonaut 1A
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and Robonaut 1A (NASA and DARPA) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Hospitality & F&B buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- Robonaut 1AUnited States
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- Robonaut 1A2011
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- Robonaut 1A0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- Robonaut 1AResearch platform
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- Robonaut 1A8 hrs
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- Robonaut 1AACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- Robonaut 1A60 kg
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- Robonaut 1A1880 mm
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- Robonaut 1Abipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- Robonaut 1Afull bipedal
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- Robonaut 1A1.2 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- Robonaut 1ANo
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- Robonaut 1Azero gravity
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- Robonaut 1A9.1 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- Robonaut 1A14
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- Robonaut 1A7
Hand DOF
- Darwin-OP—
- Robonaut 1A5
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- Robonaut 1ANo
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- Robonaut 1ANVIDIA Jetson Xavier
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- Robonaut 1ANo
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- Robonaut 1Afalse
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- Robonaut 1ANo
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- Robonaut 1Acode_python, code_ros, visual_block
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- Robonaut 1A8 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- Robonaut 1A—
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- Robonaut 1Acode_python, code_ros, visual_block
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- Robonaut 1AYes
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- Robonaut 1AYes
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- Robonaut 1Acommercial
IP Rating
- Darwin-OP—
- Robonaut 1AIP54
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- Robonaut 1AResearch platform
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- Robonaut 1A150K+
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- Robonaut 1Apurchase
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- Robonaut 1A1 yrs
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- Robonaut 1Aresearch, hazardous_env
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | 2011 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | Research platform |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Weight (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 60 kg |
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 1880 mm |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 1.2 m/s |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | zero gravity |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 9.1 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 14 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 5 |
| Bimanual Coordination | No | No |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | NVIDIA Jetson Xavier |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models | false | false |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | code_python, code_ros, visual_block |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | No | — |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | code_python, code_ros, visual_block |
| ROS Support | Yes | Yes |
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity | commercial | commercial |
| IP Rating (values differ) | — | IP54 |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | Research platform |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | 150K+ |
| Pricing Model | purchase | purchase |
| Warranty | 1 yrs | 1 yrs |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | research, hazardous_env |
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 | Robonaut 1A |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | No price |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | — |
Robonaut 1A 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 Darwin-OP and Robonaut 1A?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. Robonaut 1A is made by NASA and DARPA, based in US.
When were Darwin-OP and Robonaut 1A launched?
Darwin-OP launched in 2010. Robonaut 1A launched in 2011.
How do Darwin-OP and Robonaut 1A compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. Robonaut 1A grades BB. 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 Robonaut 1A 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 Robonaut 1A?
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 Robonaut 1A 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.