RoboThespian 3 vs TALOS
Side-by-side comparison of RoboThespian 3 (Engineered Arts) and TALOS (PAL Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robo Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Cleaning & Facilities buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- RoboThespian 3United Kingdom
- TALOSSpain
Year First Available
- RoboThespian 32016
- TALOS2017
Verified Deployments
- RoboThespian 30 Deployments
- TALOS0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- RoboThespian 3Contact for quote
- TALOS$900,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOS1.5 hrs
Availability Status
- RoboThespian 3ACTIVE
- TALOSACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Weight
- RoboThespian 333 kg
- TALOS95 kg
Height
- RoboThespian 3175 mm
- TALOS175 mm
Mobility Type
- RoboThespian 3bipedal
- TALOSbipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- RoboThespian 3full bipedal
- TALOSfull bipedal
Walking Speed
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOS3 m/s
Running Capable
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOSstatic walk
Stair Climbing
- RoboThespian 3No
- TALOSproduction ready
Terrain
- RoboThespian 3flat indoor
- TALOSrough_indoor, mild_incline
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOS6 kg
Payload (Peak)
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOS6 kg
Total DOF
- RoboThespian 326
- TALOS32
Arm DOF
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOS7
Hand DOF
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOS1
Bimanual Coordination
- RoboThespian 3No
- TALOSfull bimanual
Tool Use
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOSproduction validated
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- RoboThespian 3Intel dual-core CPU, multiple Marvell and Parallax microcontrollers, external Intel Core i7 control unit
- TALOSUbuntu LTS, Real Time OS
Compute Platform
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOSIntel Core i7
VLM Capable
- RoboThespian 3No
- TALOSnone
Imitation Learning
- RoboThespian 3No
- TALOSNo
Teleoperation
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOSjoystick
Programming
- RoboThespian 3Python scripting and API support
- TALOSROS Control, Ethernet, Research-grade interfaces
Battery & Power
Runtime
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOS1.5 hrs
Battery Capacity
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOS1.1 kWh
Battery Swap
- RoboThespian 3No
- TALOSNo
Safety
Force-Limited Arms
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOSYes
Fall Recovery
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOSYes
Human Detection Method
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOSmulti modal
Safe Speed Near Humans
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOSsoftware_defined
Software
SDK Languages
- RoboThespian 3Python
- TALOSC++, Python
ROS Support
- RoboThespian 3No
- TALOSros2 vendor
Simulation Platforms
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOSROS
Open API
- RoboThespian 3Yes
- TALOSclosed
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- RoboThespian 3commercial
- TALOSproduction pilot
Commercial
Price (USD)
- RoboThespian 3Contact for quote
- TALOS$900,000 USD
Price Tier
- RoboThespian 3—
- TALOS150K+
Warranty
- RoboThespian 31 yrs
- TALOS—
Applications
- RoboThespian 3entertainment, education
- TALOSResearch platform
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | United Kingdom | Spain |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2016 | 2017 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | Contact for quote | $900,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | — | 1.5 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Weight (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 33 kg | 95 kg |
| Height | 175 mm | 175 mm |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | — | 3 m/s |
| Running Capable (values differ) | — | static walk |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | production ready |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | rough_indoor, mild_incline |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 6 kg |
| Payload (Peak) (values differ) | — | 6 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 26 | 32 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | — | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 1 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | full bimanual |
| Tool Use (values differ) | — | production validated |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel dual-core CPU, multiple Marvell and Parallax microcontrollers, external Intel Core i7 control unit | Ubuntu LTS, Real Time OS |
| Compute Platform (values differ) | — | Intel Core i7 |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | No | none |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Teleoperation (values differ) | — | joystick |
| Programming (values differ) | Python scripting and API support | ROS Control, Ethernet, Research-grade interfaces |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | — | 1.5 hrs |
| Battery Capacity (values differ) | — | 1.1 kWh |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Safety | ||
| Force-Limited Arms (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Fall Recovery (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Human Detection Method (values differ) | — | multi modal |
| Safe Speed Near Humans (values differ) | — | software_defined |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Python | C++, Python |
| ROS Support (values differ) | No | ros2 vendor |
| Simulation Platforms (values differ) | — | ROS |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | closed |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | production pilot |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | Contact for quote | $900,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | — | 150K+ |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | entertainment, education | Research platform |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Foundation Models, Charging Time, Charging Method, Avg Power Consumption, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Air-Gap Capable, MTBF, Task Success Rate, IP Rating, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, Pricing Model, Developer Unit Price, Delivery Lead Time, 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 | RoboThespian 3 | TALOS |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | No price | $900,000 |
| Payback period | — | 216.0 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | — | -$650,000 |
| ROI (5 yr) | — | -72% |
RoboThespian 3 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 RoboThespian 3 and TALOS?
RoboThespian 3 is made by Engineered Arts, based in GB. TALOS is made by PAL Robotics, based in ES.
When were RoboThespian 3 and TALOS launched?
RoboThespian 3 launched in 2016. TALOS launched in 2017.
How do RoboThespian 3 and TALOS compare on the Robo Score?
RoboThespian 3 scores 68.4 on the Robo Score. TALOS scores 68.8. The Robo Score is a 0–100 credibility figure blending commercial maturity, verified deployments, company standing, and independent coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are RoboThespian 3 and TALOS 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 RoboThespian 3 and TALOS?
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
Want to be notified when specs or pricing change for these robots? Drop your email.
Other comparisons
About this comparison
RoboThespian 3 vs TALOS 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 Score is calculated.