Overview
Asimov 1 is an open-source reference humanoid from Menlo Research. It is sold as a DIY kit rather than a finished robot: the CAD and the bill of materials are public, and the buyer assembles the machine themselves. The first production batch began shipping to builders in August 2026.
Specifications
Asimov 1 stands 1.2 m tall and weighs 35 kg. It has 25 powered joints — six per leg, five per arm, one at the waist and two in the neck. The product page advertises this as “25+2 DoF”; the manual counts 25 powered joints, and that is the figure recorded above. The robot has no hands. Sensing is an IMU, a monocular camera, a microphone array and a speaker. Compute is split across two boards: a Raspberry Pi 5 handles media and networking while a Radxa CM5 handles motion control, with six CAN branches running out to the joints. Power is a rechargeable lithium-ion pack whose capacity Menlo Research has not published.
Where it is used
Asimov 1 is positioned as an open reference platform for research and education rather than a robot for a specific job. Because the CAD and BOM are public, the design can be modified or partly re-fabricated, which is the stated point of the kit.
Background
Documentation is a public manual that Menlo Research describes as a work in progress, supported by a public forum and a Discord server. The project lists an “Asimov 2” as in progress.
Availability
Shipping as a DIY kit, first batch August 2026. The delivered kit price is $20,000, taken against a $499 deposit; Menlo Research estimates roughly $31,000 to source the parts independently. Assembly takes 100+ hours. New orders are filled in monthly batches rather than from stock.