Kilobot vs SORA-Q

Side-by-side comparison of Kilobot (Harvard) and SORA-Q (Japan (Takara Tomy, JAXA, Doshisha University)) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.

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

KilobotAA

SORA-QBB

Layer 1: Identity & Trust

Manufacturer Country

KilobotSwitzerland
SORA-QJapan

Year First Available

Kilobot2014
SORA-Q2022

Verified Deployments

Kilobot0 Deployments
SORA-Q0 Deployments

Layer 2: Operational

Battery / Shift Runtime

Kilobot4 hrs
SORA-Q2 hrs

Availability Status

KilobotACTIVE
SORA-QACTIVE

Layer 3: Category Specific

Max Speed

Kilobot0 m/s
SORA-Q—

Autonomy Level

Kilobotfully autonomous
SORA-Q—

	KilobotresearchHarvard AARobo Index	SORA-QresearchJapan (Takara Tomy, JAXA, Doshisha University) BBRobo Index
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country (values differ)	Switzerland	Japan
Year First Available (values differ)	2014	2022
Verified Deployments	0 Deployments	0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Warehousing & Logistics buyers) (values differ)	4 hrs	2 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	SORA-Q
Investment	No price	No price
Payback period	—	—
Net savings (5 yr)	—	—
ROI (5 yr)	—	—

Kilobot, SORA-Q 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 SORA-Q?

Kilobot is made by Harvard, based in CH. SORA-Q is made by Japan (Takara Tomy, JAXA, Doshisha University), based in JP.

When were Kilobot and SORA-Q launched?

Kilobot launched in 2014. SORA-Q launched in 2022.

How do Kilobot and SORA-Q compare on the Robo Index?

Kilobot grades AA on the Robo Index. SORA-Q 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 Kilobot and SORA-Q 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 SORA-Q?

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 SORA-Q 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.