Kilobot vs Petman
Side-by-side comparison of Kilobot (Harvard) and Petman (Boston Dynamics, Inc. (Hyundai Motor Group subsidiary)) — specs, pricing, Robo Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Home & Household buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- KilobotSwitzerland
- PetmanUnited States
Year First Available
- Kilobot2014
- Petman2009
Verified Deployments
- Kilobot0 Deployments
- Petman0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Kilobot4 hrs
- Petman—
Availability Status
- KilobotACTIVE
- PetmanACTIVE
Layer 3: Category Specific
Payload Capacity
- Kilobot—
- Petman50 kg
Max Speed
- Kilobot0 m/s
- Petman1.8 m/s
Autonomy Level
- Kilobotfully autonomous
- Petmanpartially autonomous
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Switzerland | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2014 | 2009 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Home & Household buyers) (values differ) | 4 hrs | — |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Payload Capacity (values differ) | — | 50 kg |
| Max Speed (values differ) | 0 m/s | 1.8 m/s |
| Autonomy Level (values differ) | fully autonomous | partially autonomous |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Price, 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 | Kilobot | Petman |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | No price | No price |
| Payback period | — | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | — | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | — | — |
Kilobot, Petman have 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 Kilobot and Petman?
Kilobot is made by Harvard, based in CH. Petman is made by Boston Dynamics, Inc. (Hyundai Motor Group subsidiary), based in US.
When were Kilobot and Petman launched?
Kilobot launched in 2014. Petman launched in 2009.
How do Kilobot and Petman compare on the Robo Score?
Kilobot scores 66.6 on the Robo Score. Petman scores 41.9. The Robo Score is a 0–100 credibility figure blending commercial maturity, verified deployments, company standing, and independent coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are Kilobot and Petman 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 Kilobot and Petman?
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
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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
Kilobot vs Petman 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 Score is calculated.