DARwIn-OP / ROBOTIS OP2 price & specs

ROBOTIS with Virginia Tech (RoMeLa), Purdue, UPenn DARwIn-OP / ROBOTIS OP2 (1)

Was ~$10,000 – $12,000

Discontinued · used/leftover onlyZMP / IK gaitRoboCup KidSize championOpen platformNSF-funded

Possibly ≤ 1 weekShipping: Used.

Overview

The open research humanoid that defined the category, backed by a $1.2M NSF grant and winner of the RoboCup KidSize league in 2011–2013. Its hardware and software were published in full, which is why so many later kid-size designs share its layout. It was succeeded by ROBOTIS OP2 (2015) and OP3. Used units still circulate among universities.

Type: Biped robot · Research & legacy bipeds
Maker: ROBOTIS with Virginia Tech (RoMeLa), Purdue, UPenn
Released: 2010
Price: Was ~$10,000 – $12,000
Status: Discontinued · used/leftover only
Best for: Professionals & labs
Programming: Open source (hardware + software)

Price and shipping

Historical research price (est.)

Shipping: Used. Discontinued. Used DARwIn-OP and OP2 units occasionally appear on eBay and university surplus.

Specifications

Category	Bipeds · Research & legacy bipeds
Released	2010
Country	South Korea, USA
Availability	Discontinued · used/leftover only
Programmability	Open source (hardware + software)
Built-in autonomy	Reactive · Responds to its surroundings without a map, such as avoiding obstacles or following a person
LLM support	Possible via SDK · No built-in LLM. Its SDK lets software on a computer control it.
MuJoCo simulation	Community model · Only a third-party Darwin-OP URDF (HumaRobotics, 2015), which would need converting. darwin_description ↗
NVIDIA Isaac simulation	Community model · Only a third-party Darwin-OP URDF (HumaRobotics, 2015), which would need converting. darwin_description ↗
Gazebo simulation	Official model · ROBOTIS's OP2 ROS packages include an op2_gazebo launch file. ROBOTIS-OP2 ↗
Best for	Professionals & labs
Vision sensors	Camera
Actuators	Smart servos (Dynamixel, Feetech…)
Audio	Speaker, Microphone
Compute type	x86 PC (Intel / AMD), Arduino / ESP32 / microcontroller
Balance type	ZMP / IK gait
Height	45.5 cm
Weight	2.9 kg
Compute	Intel Atom (fit-PC2i) + CM-730
Speed	Not published
DOF	20 Dynamixel MX-28
Sensors	HD camera, 3-axis gyro, 3-axis accelerometer, mics
Balance	ZMP-based walking with gyro feedback. Falls under real pushes, then stands up.
SDK	Open C++ framework, ROS packages, open CAD and schematics

Common questions

How much does DARwIn-OP / ROBOTIS OP2 cost?

It sold for ~$10,000 – $12,000. Historical research price (est.).

Can DARwIn-OP / ROBOTIS OP2 be bought today?

It is discontinued, though used or leftover units still turn up. Discontinued. Used DARwIn-OP and OP2 units occasionally appear on eBay and university surplus.