Darwin-OP vs Walker Tienkung
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and Walker Tienkung (UBTECH Robotics Corp Ltd.) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Last-Mile Delivery buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- Walker TienkungChina
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- Walker Tienkung—
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- Walker Tienkung0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- Walker Tienkung$41,000–$99,999 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- Walker Tienkung8 hrs
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- Walker TienkungACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- Walker Tienkung172 mm
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- Walker Tienkung27.2 kg
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- Walker Tienkungbipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- Walker Tienkungfull bipedal
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- Walker Tienkung2 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- Walker TienkungNo
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- Walker Tienkungresearch lab, educational institutions, industrial
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- Walker Tienkung10 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- Walker Tienkung21
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- Walker Tienkung4
Hand DOF
- Darwin-OP—
- Walker Tienkung6
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- Walker TienkungNo
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- Walker Tienkung275 TOPS
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- Walker TienkungNo
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- Walker Tienkung—
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- Walker TienkungNo
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- Walker Tienkungcustom programming
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- Walker Tienkung3 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- Walker TienkungNo
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- Walker Tienkungcustom programming
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- Walker TienkungNo
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- Walker TienkungYes
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- Walker Tienkungcommercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- Walker Tienkung$41,000–$99,999 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- Walker Tienkung500k_plus
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- Walker Tienkungoutright purchase
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- Walker Tienkung1 yrs
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- Walker Tienkungeducation, research
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | — |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $41,000–$99,999 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Last-Mile Delivery buyers) (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 172 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 27.2 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 2 m/s |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | research lab, educational institutions, industrial |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 10 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 21 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | 4 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 6 |
| Bimanual Coordination | No | No |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | 275 TOPS |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | false | — |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | custom programming |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | custom programming |
| ROS Support (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity | commercial | commercial |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $41,000–$99,999 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | 500k_plus |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | purchase | outright purchase |
| Warranty | 1 yrs | 1 yrs |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | education, 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, 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, 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 | Walker Tienkung |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $70,500 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 16.9 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $179,501 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +255% |
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 Walker Tienkung?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. Walker Tienkung is made by UBTECH Robotics Corp Ltd., based in CN.
How do Darwin-OP and Walker Tienkung compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. Walker Tienkung 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 Walker Tienkung 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 Walker Tienkung?
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 Walker Tienkung 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.