Master Specification Table
The following table compares the leading platforms available through SVRC alongside key industry competitors. All specs are from manufacturer documentation and SVRC hands-on testing as of Q1 2026.
| Spec | Unitree G1 | Figure 02 | 1X NEO | Agility Digit | Booster K1 | Apptronik Apollo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 1.27m | 1.67m | 1.65m | 1.75m | 1.70m | 1.73m |
| Weight | 35kg | ~60kg | 30kg | 65kg | 55kg | 73kg |
| Total DOF | 23 (base) / 43 (DEX3) | ~40+ | ~40 | 16 (no hands) | 28 | 30+ |
| Arm Payload (each) | 3kg | ~5kg est. | ~3kg est. | ~5kg (end-effector hooks) | 5kg | 11kg (25 lb) |
| Walk Speed | 2 m/s (max) | 1.2 m/s | 1.5 m/s | 1.5 m/s | 1.5 m/s | 1.4 m/s |
| Battery Life | ~2 hrs (mixed) | ~5 hrs (rated) | ~2-4 hrs | ~4 hrs | ~3 hrs | ~4 hrs |
| Onboard Compute | Jetson Orin NX (8GB) | Custom (undisclosed) | Custom SoC | Custom Intel-based | Jetson AGX Orin | Custom NVIDIA-based |
| Hands | Parallel jaw (base); DEX3 5-finger | Custom 16-DOF dexterous | Soft anthropomorphic | End-effector hooks (no fingers) | Parallel jaw (standard) | Interchangeable end-effectors |
| IP Rating | IP54 | Not rated | Not rated | IP54 | IP67 | IP54 |
| Price Range | $16K-$30K | Not publicly sold | Not publicly sold | $150K+ (enterprise) | $40K-$80K | Enterprise pricing only |
| Availability | Shipping now | BMW pilot only | Limited access program | Amazon/enterprise pilots | Shipping now | Early access program |
SVRC-Stocked Platforms: Detailed Analysis
OpenArm -- Best for Research and Data Collection
The OpenArm is SVRC's in-house manipulation platform designed for imitation learning and teleoperation research. With 6 DOF, sub-millimeter repeatability, and native compatibility with the SVRC data collection stack, it is the most accessible entry point for teams starting a robot learning program. Purchase price starts at $4,500 and lease options are available from $375/month.
Data collection suitability: Excellent. The OpenArm was designed for teleoperated demonstration collection. The leader-follower setup provides 1:1 kinematic mapping with <2ms latency. SVRC's recording pipeline captures synchronized multi-camera video, joint states, and actions at 50Hz. Output is HDF5/RLDS compatible with ACT, Diffusion Policy, and LeRobot out of the box. For a cost comparison against other research arms, see our detailed OpenArm vs Franka analysis.
Ideal for: tabletop manipulation, imitation learning datasets, teleop research, university labs, multi-arm fleet deployment (the price point allows 5+ stations for the cost of one Franka).
Mobile ALOHA -- Best for Bimanual Mobile Tasks
Mobile ALOHA combines two ViperX 300 6DOF arms (by Trossen Robotics) with an AgileX Tracer wheeled mobile base, enabling bimanual manipulation across a wide workspace. It is the leading open-source platform for collecting household and restaurant manipulation data, used in the original Stanford ALOHA research that produced the ACT algorithm.
SVRC stocks and leases Mobile ALOHA units and provides pre-configured data collection pipelines aligned with the original Stanford ALOHA protocol. Each ViperX arm has 750mm reach and 750g payload -- sufficient for light household tasks but limiting for heavier objects. The wheeled base navigates flat indoor surfaces; it cannot handle stairs, ramps, or uneven flooring.
Data collection suitability: Excellent for bimanual. The dual leader-arm setup is the gold standard for bimanual manipulation data. The original ACT paper demonstrated 80-95% success rates on tasks like battery insertion and ziploc opening trained on 50 Mobile ALOHA demonstrations.
Ideal for: bimanual tasks, household robotics research, cooking and service demos, ACT/Diffusion Policy training. Not ideal for: heavy-payload tasks (>750g per arm), outdoor use, rough terrain.
Unitree G1 -- Best Entry-Level Humanoid
The Unitree G1 is the most affordable full humanoid platform available in 2026. The base configuration (23 DOF, parallel jaw grippers) starts at ~$16,000. The DEX3 upgrade (43 DOF with 5-finger dexterous hands) is approximately $30,000. It stands 1.27m tall, which means it cannot reach standard kitchen countertop or industrial workbench heights without a platform -- an important constraint for task planning.
Software ecosystem: Unitree provides a Python SDK for joint control and a growing set of community-contributed locomotion policies. The G1 runs ROS 2 Humble on its onboard Jetson Orin NX. MuJoCo and Isaac Sim models are available from both Unitree and the community. LeRobot has preliminary G1 support for teleoperation data collection.
Data collection suitability: Moderate. Teleoperation is possible via VR controller or motion capture, but the 1:1 leader-follower paradigm that works so well for arms does not apply cleanly to full humanoid control. Whole-body teleoperation requires motion retargeting from human body tracking to robot joint commands, which introduces retargeting error and limits demonstration quality. Collecting 50 high-quality demonstrations for a manipulation task on G1 takes roughly 3x longer than on a dedicated arm platform.
Ideal for: locomotion research, embodied AI demos, education, light manipulation research. Not ideal for: industrial deployment, heavy payload tasks, reaching standard-height surfaces.
Booster K1 -- Best for Outdoor and Industrial Pilots
The Booster K1 is a robust bipedal platform built for unstructured environments. At 1.70m and 55kg, it is human-sized and capable of navigating stairs, rough terrain, and outdoor environments. The IP67 rating (full dust protection, waterproof to 1m immersion) makes it the only humanoid in this comparison suitable for outdoor deployment without protective enclosures.
High-torque actuators at the hip and knee joints provide strong locomotion stability -- SVRC has tested the K1 on gravel, grass, and wet concrete without falls. The 5kg per-arm payload is adequate for tool handling, equipment inspection, and light material transport.
Software ecosystem: Booster provides a comprehensive SDK with ROS 2 integration, Jetson AGX Orin for onboard inference (275 TOPS), and pre-trained locomotion policies for standard terrains. The API exposes joint-level control, task-space arm control, and a waypoint-based navigation interface.
Data collection suitability: Moderate. Same challenges as G1 for manipulation data -- whole-body teleoperation is harder than arm-only. Locomotion data collection is straightforward via joystick control. The Jetson AGX Orin is powerful enough to run inference for deployed policies at 10-30Hz.
Ideal for: outdoor navigation, industrial inspection, uneven terrain, facility automation pilots. SVRC has deployed K1 units in hotel and warehouse settings.
W1 Mobile Manipulator -- Best All-Around Platform
The W1 combines a 7-DOF manipulation arm with a wheeled mobile base optimized for indoor service environments. It is SVRC's most popular leased platform for hospitality and retail pilots. The integrated camera array (stereo depth + RGB wrist + overhead) and SVRC teleoperation stack make it ready for data collection on day one.
The wheeled base provides omnidirectional movement with precise positioning (repeatability <5mm), which is important for tasks requiring the robot to approach from consistent angles. The 7-DOF arm provides sufficient workspace coverage for most indoor service tasks -- reaching shelves, countertops, and floor-level surfaces.
Data collection suitability: Good. The arm can be teleoperated with a leader arm or SpaceMouse while the base is controlled via joystick. Decoupling arm and base control simplifies the demonstration collection process compared to full humanoid teleoperation.
Ideal for: hotel/restaurant service, retail automation, indoor logistics, customer-facing deployments.
Software Interface Comparison
The quality of the software SDK determines how quickly you can move from hardware delivery to first data collection or policy deployment. Here is how the platforms compare:
| Platform | Language | ROS 2 Support | Sim Models | Time to First Demo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenArm | Python | Yes (community) | MuJoCo, Isaac Sim | ~2 hours |
| Mobile ALOHA | Python | Partial | MuJoCo (dm_control) | ~4 hours |
| Unitree G1 | Python / C++ | Yes (official) | MuJoCo, Isaac Sim | ~1 day |
| Booster K1 | Python / C++ | Yes (official) | Isaac Sim | ~1 day |
| W1 | Python | Yes (SVRC pkg) | MuJoCo | ~4 hours |
Payload Comparison: What Each Robot Can Actually Carry
Payload specs are frequently misunderstood. Manufacturer-rated payloads are measured at specific reach distances and velocities -- real-world effective payload depends on task geometry. Here is what matters:
- OpenArm (1.5kg at 600mm reach): Handles typical tabletop objects -- cups, tools, food items, small electronics. Cannot handle full water bottles (500ml = 0.5kg is fine; 1.5L = 1.5kg is at the limit and causes wobble at full extension).
- G1 (3kg per arm): Adequate for light manipulation but at the margin for many industrial tasks. Carrying a power drill (1.5-2.5kg) works; operating it against resistance may exceed joint torque limits.
- K1 (5kg per arm): Handles most hand tools, small boxes, and equipment. Suitable for warehouse tote handling (typical tote 2-8kg, single-arm limit means the robot needs both arms for heavier totes).
- Apollo (11kg per arm / 25 lb): The only humanoid in this comparison with industrial-grade payload. Can handle automotive parts, heavy tooling, and material transport tasks that other humanoids cannot.
How to Choose: Decision Framework
Rather than a generic recommendation, here is a decision tree based on your primary use case:
- Building an imitation learning dataset (tabletop manipulation): Start with OpenArm or Mobile ALOHA. These platforms produce the highest quality demonstration data per dollar spent. OpenArm for single-arm tasks, Mobile ALOHA for bimanual.
- Building an imitation learning dataset (mobile manipulation): W1 for indoor, K1 for outdoor. Expect 3-5x the per-demonstration cost compared to fixed-arm platforms due to the complexity of mobile teleop.
- Locomotion research: Unitree G1 (best value) or Booster K1 (more rugged). Both have Isaac Sim and MuJoCo models for sim-to-real transfer.
- Industrial pilot (structured environment): K1 or Apollo. Apollo's payload advantage matters if your tasks involve handling objects over 5kg.
- Customer-facing service pilot: W1. The wheeled base is more reliable than bipedal locomotion in environments where a fall would be unacceptable (hotel lobby, retail store).
- Research on a budget (<$20K): Unitree G1 base model is the only full humanoid in this price range. Pair it with an OpenArm for manipulation data collection.
SVRC's solutions team can match you to the right platform -- contact us with your use case or browse the full hardware catalog. All platforms listed here are available for lease with monthly terms starting at $375/month for OpenArm and going up to $3,000+/month for full humanoid platforms.