Spirit 40 vs Kilobot
Side-by-side comparison of Spirit 40 (Ghost Robotics, LLC) and Kilobot (Harvard) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Optimized for Hospitality & F&B buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Spirit 40United States
- KilobotSwitzerland
Year First Available
- Spirit 402015
- Kilobot2014
Verified Deployments
- Spirit 400 Deployments
- Kilobot0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Spirit 40$180,000 USD
- KilobotContact for quote
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Spirit 402 hrs
- Kilobot4 hrs
Availability Status
- Spirit 40ACTIVE
- KilobotACTIVE
Layer 3: Category Specific
Payload Capacity
- Spirit 405 kg
- Kilobot—
Max Speed
- Spirit 402 m/s
- Kilobot0 m/s
Autonomy Level
- Spirit 40—
- Kilobotfully autonomous
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | United States | Switzerland |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2015 | 2014 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $180,000 USD | Contact for quote |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 2 hrs | 4 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Payload Capacity (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 5 kg | — |
| Max Speed (values differ) | 2 m/s | 0 m/s |
| Autonomy Level (values differ) | — | fully autonomous |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Reach, IP Rating
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 | Spirit 40 | Kilobot |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $180,000 | No price |
| Payback period | 43.2 mo | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $70,000 | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | +39% | — |
Kilobot 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 Spirit 40 and Kilobot?
Spirit 40 is made by Ghost Robotics, LLC, based in US. Kilobot is made by Harvard, based in CH.
When were Spirit 40 and Kilobot launched?
Spirit 40 launched in 2015. Kilobot launched in 2014.
How do Spirit 40 and Kilobot compare on the Robo Index?
Spirit 40 grades BB on the Robo Index. Kilobot 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 Spirit 40 and Kilobot in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Research on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Research robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Research TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: The real cost of a research platform.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between Spirit 40 and Kilobot?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
The real cost of a research platform
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The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags
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A 90-day playbook to stand up a new platform in a lab
8 min readResearch & Lab 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
Spirit 40 vs Kilobot compares two robots in the research 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.