Robbyant R1 vs Shalu
Side-by-side comparison of Robbyant R1 (Ant Lingbo Technology) and Shalu (IIT Bombay) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Hospitality & F&B buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Robbyant R1China
- Shalu—
Year First Available
- Robbyant R12025
- Shalu2021
Verified Deployments
- Robbyant R10 Deployments
- Shalu0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Robbyant R1$55,000 USD
- Shalu$710 USD
Availability Status
- Robbyant R1ACTIVE
- ShaluACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Weight
- Robbyant R1110 kg
- Shalu—
Height
- Robbyant R1170 mm
- Shalu—
Mobility Type
- Robbyant R1—
- Shalubipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Robbyant R1—
- Shaluservice humanoid
Walking Speed
- Robbyant R11.5 m/s
- Shalu—
Stair Climbing
- Robbyant R1No
- Shalunone
Terrain
- Robbyant R1flat indoor, uneven outdoor
- Shaluindoor
Payload & Dexterity
Total DOF
- Robbyant R134
- Shalu—
Arm DOF
- Robbyant R12
- Shalu—
Bimanual Coordination
- Robbyant R1No
- Shalu—
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Robbyant R1MX6800 depth engine chip
- Shalu—
VLM Capable
- Robbyant R1No
- Shalu—
Imitation Learning
- Robbyant R1No
- Shalu—
Programming
- Robbyant R1Open-source
- Shalucode_python, voice
Battery & Power
Battery Swap
- Robbyant R1No
- Shalu—
Software
SDK Languages
- Robbyant R1Python
- Shalucode_python, voice
ROS Support
- Robbyant R1No
- Shalunone
Open API
- Robbyant R1Yes
- ShaluNo
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Robbyant R1commercial
- Shaluproduction pilot
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Robbyant R1$55,000 USD
- Shalu$710 USD
Price Tier
- Robbyant R140-80K
- Shalu<10K
Developer Unit Price
- Robbyant R1—
- Shalu$680
Applications
- Robbyant R1hospitality, medical assistance, tour guiding, cooking
- Shalueducation, hospitality, eldercare_assistance
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | China | — |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2025 | 2021 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $55,000 USD | $710 USD |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Weight (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 110 kg | — |
| Height (values differ) | 170 mm | — |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | — | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | — | service humanoid |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 1.5 m/s | — |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | none |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor, uneven outdoor | indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Total DOF (values differ) | 34 | — |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 2 | — |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | — |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | MX6800 depth engine chip | — |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | No | — |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | No | — |
| Programming (values differ) | Open-source | code_python, voice |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Battery Swap (values differ) | No | — |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Python | code_python, voice |
| ROS Support (values differ) | No | none |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | production pilot |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $55,000 USD | $710 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 40-80K | <10K |
| Developer Unit Price (values differ) | — | $680 |
| Applications (values differ) | hospitality, medical assistance, tour guiding, cooking | education, hospitality, eldercare_assistance |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Battery / Shift Runtime, Running Capable, Payload, Payload (Peak), Hand DOF, Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Tool Use, Compute Platform, Foundation Models, Teleoperation, Runtime, Battery Capacity, 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, Air-Gap Capable, MTBF, Task Success Rate, IP Rating, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, Pricing Model, Delivery Lead Time, Warranty, Production Pilots
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 | Robbyant R1 | Shalu |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $55,000 | $710 |
| Payback period | 13.2 mo | < 1 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $195,000 | $249,290 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +355% | +35111% |
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 Robbyant R1 and Shalu?
Robbyant R1 is made by Ant Lingbo Technology, based in CN. Shalu is made by IIT Bombay.
When were Robbyant R1 and Shalu launched?
Robbyant R1 launched in 2025. Shalu launched in 2021.
How much does Robbyant R1 cost compared to Shalu?
Robbyant R1 is listed at $55,000. Shalu is listed at $710.
How do Robbyant R1 and Shalu compare on the Robo Index?
Robbyant R1 grades AA on the Robo Index. Shalu grades BBB. 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 Robbyant R1 and Shalu 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 Robbyant R1 and Shalu?
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
Robbyant R1 vs Shalu 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.