Kilobot vs Plasticman

Side-by-side comparison of Kilobot (Harvard) and Plasticman (Monash University) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.

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Optimized for Cleaning & Facilities buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.

KilobotAA

PlasticmanB

Layer 1: Identity & Trust

Manufacturer Country

KilobotSwitzerland
Plasticman—

Year First Available

Kilobot2014
Plasticman2018

Verified Deployments

Kilobot0 Deployments
Plasticman0 Deployments

Layer 2: Operational

Battery / Shift Runtime

Kilobot4 hrs
Plasticman—

Availability Status

KilobotACTIVE
PlasticmanACTIVE

Layer 3: Category Specific

Max Speed

Kilobot0 m/s
Plasticman—

Autonomy Level

Kilobotfully autonomous
Plasticman—

	KilobotresearchHarvard AARobo Index	PlasticmanresearchMonash University BRobo Index
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country (values differ)	Switzerland	—
Year First Available (values differ)	2014	2018
Verified Deployments	0 Deployments	0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ)	4 hrs	—
Availability Status	ACTIVE	ACTIVE
Layer 3: Category Specific
Max Speed (values differ)	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: Price, Payload Capacity, Reach, IP Rating

best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ

ROI Comparison

Same operating assumptions across every robot — the only difference is price. Set your numbers once to see which pays back fastest.

Robots (fleet)

Hours / day

Labor $/hr (USD)

Days / year

Annual labor displaced (per robot): $50,000

Metric	Kilobot	Plasticman
Investment	No price	No price
Payback period	—	—
Net savings (5 yr)	—	—
ROI (5 yr)	—	—

Kilobot, Plasticman 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 Plasticman?

Kilobot is made by Harvard, based in CH. Plasticman is made by Monash University.

When were Kilobot and Plasticman launched?

Kilobot launched in 2014. Plasticman launched in 2018.

How do Kilobot and Plasticman compare on the Robo Index?

Kilobot grades AA on the Robo Index. Plasticman grades B. 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 Kilobot and Plasticman 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 Plasticman?

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

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About this comparison

Kilobot vs Plasticman 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.