Olivia vs Robonaut 1A
Side-by-side comparison of Olivia (A*STAR Social Robotics Lab) and Robonaut 1A (NASA and DARPA) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Optimized for Agriculture buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- OliviaSingapore
- Robonaut 1AUnited States
Year First Available
- Olivia2009
- Robonaut 1A2011
Verified Deployments
- Olivia0 Deployments
- Robonaut 1A0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price Range (USD)
- Olivia$198 USD
- Robonaut 1A$150,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Olivia16 hrs
- Robonaut 1A8 hrs
Availability Status
- OliviaACTIVE
- Robonaut 1AACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Olivia160 mm
- Robonaut 1A1880 mm
Weight
- Olivia152 kg
- Robonaut 1A60 kg
Mobility Type
- Oliviastatic
- Robonaut 1Abipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Oliviaanthropomorphic torso
- Robonaut 1Afull bipedal
Walking Speed
- Olivia0.5 m/s
- Robonaut 1A1.2 m/s
Running Capable
- Oliviastatic walk
- Robonaut 1A—
Stair Climbing
- Olivianone
- Robonaut 1ANo
Terrain
- Oliviaflat_indoor
- Robonaut 1Azero gravity
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Olivia132 kg
- Robonaut 1A9.1 kg
Total DOF
- Olivia24
- Robonaut 1A14
Arm DOF
- Olivia6
- Robonaut 1A7
Hand DOF
- Olivia6
- Robonaut 1A5
Bimanual Coordination
- Oliviaindependent
- Robonaut 1ANo
Tool Use
- Olivianone
- Robonaut 1A—
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- OliviaIntel Core i7
- Robonaut 1ANVIDIA Jetson Xavier
Compute Platform
- OliviaIntel Core i7
- Robonaut 1A—
VLM Capable
- Olivianone
- Robonaut 1ANo
Foundation Models
- Olivia—
- Robonaut 1Afalse
Imitation Learning
- Oliviasingle task
- Robonaut 1ANo
Teleoperation
- Oliviajoystick
- Robonaut 1A—
Programming
- Oliviaproprietary_app, teleoperation
- Robonaut 1Acode_python, code_ros, visual_block
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Olivia16 hrs
- Robonaut 1A8 hrs
Charging Time
- Olivia4.5 hrs
- Robonaut 1A—
Charging Method
- Oliviaauto dock
- Robonaut 1A—
Safety
Force-Limited Arms
- OliviaYes
- Robonaut 1A—
Fall Recovery
- OliviaYes
- Robonaut 1A—
Human Detection Method
- Olivianone
- Robonaut 1A—
Safe Speed Near Humans
- Olivianone
- Robonaut 1A—
Software
SDK Languages
- OliviaJava, Kotlin
- Robonaut 1Acode_python, code_ros, visual_block
ROS Support
- Olivianone
- Robonaut 1AYes
Open API
- Oliviaclosed
- Robonaut 1AYes
Reliability
IP Rating
- Olivia—
- Robonaut 1AIP54
Deployment Maturity
- Oliviaprototype
- Robonaut 1Acommercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Olivia$198 USD
- Robonaut 1A$150,000 USD
Price Tier
- Olivia—
- Robonaut 1A150K+
Pricing Model
- Oliviacapex
- Robonaut 1Apurchase
Warranty
- Olivia—
- Robonaut 1A1 yrs
Applications
- Oliviaresearch
- Robonaut 1Aresearch, hazardous_env
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Singapore | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2009 | 2011 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price Range (USD) (values differ) | $198 USD | $150,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Agriculture buyers) (values differ) | 16 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 160 mm | 1880 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 152 kg | 60 kg |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | static | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | anthropomorphic torso | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.5 m/s | 1.2 m/s |
| Running Capable (values differ) | static walk | — |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | none | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat_indoor | zero gravity |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | 132 kg | 9.1 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 24 | 14 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 6 | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | 6 | 5 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | independent | No |
| Tool Use (values differ) | none | — |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Core i7 | NVIDIA Jetson Xavier |
| Compute Platform (values differ) | Intel Core i7 | — |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | none | No |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | — | false |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | single task | No |
| Teleoperation (values differ) | joystick | — |
| Programming (values differ) | proprietary_app, teleoperation | code_python, code_ros, visual_block |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 16 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Charging Time (values differ) | 4.5 hrs | — |
| Charging Method (values differ) | auto dock | — |
| Safety | ||
| Force-Limited Arms (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Fall Recovery (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Human Detection Method (values differ) | none | — |
| Safe Speed Near Humans (values differ) | none | — |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Java, Kotlin | code_python, code_ros, visual_block |
| ROS Support (values differ) | none | Yes |
| Open API (values differ) | closed | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| IP Rating (priority for Agriculture buyers) (values differ) | — | IP54 |
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | prototype | commercial |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $198 USD | $150,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | — | 150K+ |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | capex | purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | — | 1 yrs |
| Applications (values differ) | research | research, hazardous_env |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Payload (Peak), Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Battery Capacity, Battery Swap, Avg Power Consumption, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Simulation Platforms, Air-Gap Capable, MTBF, Task Success Rate, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, Developer Unit Price, Delivery Lead Time, Production Pilots
best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes Olivia and Robonaut 1A?
Olivia is made by A*STAR Social Robotics Lab, based in SG. Robonaut 1A is made by NASA and DARPA, based in US.
When were Olivia and Robonaut 1A launched?
Olivia launched in 2009. Robonaut 1A launched in 2011.
How much does Olivia cost compared to Robonaut 1A?
Olivia is listed at $198. Robonaut 1A is listed at $150,000.
How do Olivia and Robonaut 1A compare on the Robo Index?
Olivia scores 73/100. Robonaut 1A scores 74/100. The Robo Index blends specs, pricing transparency, verified deployments, and independent media coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
What is the payload difference between Olivia and Robonaut 1A?
Olivia carries up to 132 kg. Robonaut 1A carries up to 9.07 kg.
Are Olivia and Robonaut 1A 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 Olivia and Robonaut 1A?
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
Olivia vs Robonaut 1A 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.