PR2 vs Robonaut
Side-by-side comparison of PR2 (Willow Garage) and Robonaut (NASA) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- PR2United States
- RobonautUnited States
Year First Available
- PR22010
- Robonaut2011
Verified Deployments
- PR20 Deployments
- Robonaut0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price Range (USD)
- PR2$400,000 USD
- RobonautContact for quote
Battery / Shift Runtime
- PR22 hrs
- Robonaut—
Availability Status
- PR2ACTIVE
- RobonautACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- PR2164.5 mm
- Robonaut—
Weight
- PR2200 kg
- Robonaut—
Mobility Type
- PR2bipedal
- Robonautbipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- PR2full bipedal
- Robonautfull bipedal
Walking Speed
- PR21 m/s
- Robonaut—
Stair Climbing
- PR2—
- RobonautNo
Terrain
- PR2flat indoor
- Robonautflat indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- PR21.8 kg
- Robonaut9.1 kg
Total DOF
- PR232
- Robonaut14
Arm DOF
- PR27
- Robonaut7
Hand DOF
- PR21
- Robonaut—
Bimanual Coordination
- PR2Yes
- RobonautYes
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- PR2Two 8-core computers with a combined 48 GB of RAM
- Robonautrobot's torso
VLM Capable
- PR2No
- RobonautNo
Imitation Learning
- PR2No
- RobonautNo
Programming
- PR2code_ros
- Robonautrobot's torso
Battery & Power
Runtime
- PR22 hrs
- Robonaut—
Battery Capacity
- PR21.3 kWh
- Robonaut—
Battery Swap
- PR2No
- RobonautNo
Software
SDK Languages
- PR2Python
- RobonautC++
ROS Support
- PR2ros1 community
- RobonautNo
Open API
- PR2open rest
- RobonautNo
Air-Gap Capable
- PR2Yes
- Robonaut—
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- PR2research
- Robonautcommercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- PR2$400,000 USD
- RobonautContact for quote
Price Tier
- PR2<10K
- Robonaut—
Applications
- PR2research
- Robonautteleoperation, research
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country | United States | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | 2011 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price Range (USD) (values differ) | $400,000 USD | Contact for quote |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 2 hrs | — |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 164.5 mm | — |
| Weight (values differ) | 200 kg | — |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 1 m/s | — |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | — | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | 1.8 kg | 9.1 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 32 | 14 |
| Arm DOF | 7 | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | 1 | — |
| Bimanual Coordination | Yes | Yes |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Two 8-core computers with a combined 48 GB of RAM | robot's torso |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_ros | robot's torso |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 2 hrs | — |
| Battery Capacity (values differ) | 1.3 kWh | — |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Python | C++ |
| ROS Support (values differ) | ros1 community | No |
| Open API (values differ) | open rest | No |
| Air-Gap Capable (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | research | commercial |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $400,000 USD | Contact for quote |
| Price Tier (values differ) | <10K | — |
| Applications (values differ) | research | teleoperation, research |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Payload (Peak), Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Tool Use, Compute Platform, Foundation Models, Teleoperation, Charging Time, Charging Method, Avg Power Consumption, Force-Limited Arms, Fall Recovery, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Human Detection Method, Safe Speed Near Humans, Simulation Platforms, MTBF, Task Success Rate, IP Rating, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, Pricing Model, Developer Unit Price, Delivery Lead Time, Warranty, Production Pilots
best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes PR2 and Robonaut?
PR2 is made by Willow Garage, based in US. Robonaut is made by NASA, based in US.
When were PR2 and Robonaut launched?
PR2 launched in 2010. Robonaut launched in 2011.
How do PR2 and Robonaut compare on the Robo Index?
PR2 scores 99/100. Robonaut scores 25/100. 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 PR2 and Robonaut?
PR2 carries up to 1.8 kg. Robonaut carries up to 9.07 kg.
Are PR2 and Robonaut 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 PR2 and Robonaut?
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
PR2 vs Robonaut 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.