Kirobo Mini vs Twendy One
Side-by-side comparison of Kirobo Mini (Toyota) and Twendy One (Waseda University) — 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
- Kirobo MiniJapan
- Twendy OneJapan
Year First Available
- Kirobo Mini2016
- Twendy One2007
Verified Deployments
- Kirobo Mini0 Deployments
- Twendy One0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Kirobo Mini$474 USD
- Twendy OneContact for quote
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Kirobo Mini2.5 hrs
- Twendy One0.5 hrs
Availability Status
- Kirobo MiniACTIVE
- Twendy OneACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Weight
- Kirobo Mini0.2 kg
- Twendy One111 kg
Height
- Kirobo Mini10 cm
- Twendy One146 mm
Mobility Type
- Kirobo Ministatic
- Twendy Onebipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Kirobo Minifull bipedal
- Twendy Onefull bipedal
Walking Speed
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One0.8 m/s
Running Capable
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy Onestatic walk
Stair Climbing
- Kirobo MiniNo
- Twendy OneNo
Terrain
- Kirobo Miniflat indoor
- Twendy Oneflat indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One5 kg
Payload (Peak)
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One10 kg
Total DOF
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One47
Arm DOF
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One7
Hand DOF
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One13
Arm Reach
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One60 cm
Grip Strength
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One10 N
Manipulation Repeatability
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One±2 mm
Bimanual Coordination
- Kirobo MiniNo
- Twendy OneNo
Tool Use
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy Onenone
Compute & AI
VLM Capable
- Kirobo MiniNo
- Twendy OneNo
Foundation Models
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy Onefalse
Imitation Learning
- Kirobo MiniNo
- Twendy OneNo
Teleoperation
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy Onenone
Programming
- Kirobo Minidedicated app
- Twendy One—
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Kirobo Mini2.5 hrs
- Twendy One—
Charging Method
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy Onetethered
Battery Swap
- Kirobo MiniNo
- Twendy OneNo
Safety
Force-Limited Arms
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy OneYes
Fall Recovery
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy OneYes
Emergency Stops
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One1
Human Detection Method
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy Onevision human
Safe Speed Near Humans
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy Onenone
Software
SDK Languages
- Kirobo MiniJapanese
- Twendy OnePython, C++
ROS Support
- Kirobo MiniNo
- Twendy Onenone
Simulation Platforms
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy OneNVIDIA Isaac Sim, MuJoCo
Open API
- Kirobo MiniNo
- Twendy Oneclosed
Air-Gap Capable
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy OneNo
Reliability
Task Success Rate
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One95 %
Deployment Maturity
- Kirobo Minicommercial
- Twendy Oneprototype
Noise Level
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One60 dB
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Kirobo Mini$474 USD
- Twendy OneContact for quote
Price Tier
- Kirobo Miniunder_50k
- Twendy Oneunder_50k
Pricing Model
- Kirobo Minioutright purchase
- Twendy Onecapex
Delivery Lead Time
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One3 mo
Warranty
- Kirobo Mini—
- Twendy One1 yrs
Applications
- Kirobo Minieldercare_assistance, hospitality
- Twendy Oneresearch
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country | Japan | Japan |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2016 | 2007 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $474 USD | Contact for quote |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 2.5 hrs | 0.5 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Weight (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 0.2 kg | 111 kg |
| Height (values differ) | 10 cm | 146 mm |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | static | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | — | 0.8 m/s |
| Running Capable (values differ) | — | static walk |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 5 kg |
| Payload (Peak) (values differ) | — | 10 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | — | 47 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | — | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 13 |
| Arm Reach (values differ) | — | 60 cm |
| Grip Strength (values differ) | — | 10 N |
| Manipulation Repeatability (values differ) | — | ±2 mm |
| Bimanual Coordination | No | No |
| Tool Use (values differ) | — | none |
| Compute & AI | ||
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | — | false |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Teleoperation (values differ) | — | none |
| Programming (values differ) | dedicated app | — |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 2.5 hrs | — |
| Charging Method (values differ) | — | tethered |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Safety | ||
| Force-Limited Arms (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Fall Recovery (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Emergency Stops (values differ) | — | 1 |
| Human Detection Method (values differ) | — | vision human |
| Safe Speed Near Humans (values differ) | — | none |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Japanese | Python, C++ |
| ROS Support (values differ) | No | none |
| Simulation Platforms (values differ) | — | NVIDIA Isaac Sim, MuJoCo |
| Open API (values differ) | No | closed |
| Air-Gap Capable (values differ) | — | No |
| Reliability | ||
| Task Success Rate (values differ) | — | 95 % |
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | prototype |
| Noise Level (values differ) | — | 60 dB |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $474 USD | Contact for quote |
| Price Tier | under_50k | under_50k |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | outright purchase | capex |
| Delivery Lead Time (values differ) | — | 3 mo |
| Warranty (values differ) | — | 1 yrs |
| Applications (values differ) | eldercare_assistance, hospitality | research |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Onboard Compute, Compute Platform, Battery Capacity, Charging Time, Avg Power Consumption, Fall Detection Response, MTBF, IP Rating, RaaS / Month, Developer Unit Price, Production Pilots
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.
Annual labor displaced (per robot): $50,000
| Metric | Kirobo Mini | Twendy One |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $474 | No price |
| Payback period | < 1 mo | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $249,526 | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | +52643% | — |
Twendy One 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 Kirobo Mini and Twendy One?
Kirobo Mini is made by Toyota, based in JP. Twendy One is made by Waseda University, based in JP.
When were Kirobo Mini and Twendy One launched?
Kirobo Mini launched in 2016. Twendy One launched in 2007.
How do Kirobo Mini and Twendy One compare on the Robo Index?
Kirobo Mini grades AA on the Robo Index. Twendy One 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 Kirobo Mini and Twendy One 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 Kirobo Mini and Twendy One?
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
Kirobo Mini vs Twendy One 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.