NEO vs NAO V6: Specs, Price & ROS Support Compared (2024)
1X Technologies vs Aldebaran (Maxvision) — independent, side-by-side analysis.
Quick Verdict
NEO leads in more DOF, longer runtime, faster speed, while NAO V6 leads in lower price. Overall, NEO has an edge in 3 out of 4 compared categories.
NEO
1X Technologies
NAO V6
Aldebaran (Maxvision)
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NEO NAO V6
Specifications
$20,000Price$16,990
168 cmHeight58 cm
30 kgWeight5.6 kg
75DOF25
25 kgPayload—
4hRuntime1h
1.4 m/sSpeed0.5 m/s
YesStairsNo
NoLiDARNo
Proprietary (World Model AI onboard)ComputeIntel Atom (upgraded in V6)
Task Capabilities
✓Pick up a box from shelf?
✓Open a door handle?
✓Pour liquid into cup?
◔Use a power tool?
◔Type on keyboard?
✓Climb stairs with load?
◔Walk on uneven terrain?
?Run (>3 m/s)?
◔Crouch under obstacle?
✓Navigate in crowd?
✓Recognize & locate objects?
✓Respond to voice commands?
✓Detect humans nearby?
◔Work 8-hour shift?
✕Hot-swap battery?
◔Operate 24/7 (with charging)?
✕Work in rain (IP65+)?
✕Work below 0°C?
✕Work in dusty environment?
✓Work safely alongside humans?
Ecosystem Openness
10
NEO
/100
70
NAO V6
Proprietary World Model AI. No public SDK.
NAOqi + Choregraphe. Massive academic community. Future uncertain post-bankruptcy.
Pros and cons at a glance
NEO
Pros
- Open for preorders
- High rated payload (25 kg) for industrial pick-and-place
- 75 degrees of freedom — full-body articulation
Cons
- Closed software stack — no public SDK or ROS support
NAO V6
Pros
- Shipping to customers (verified commercial availability)
- Affordable at $16,990 — accessible to research labs and SMEs
Cons
- Short runtime (75 min) — frequent recharging or battery swaps
- Cannot navigate stairs — restricts deployment environments
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper: NEO or NAO V6?
NAO V6 is cheaper at $16,990 vs $20,000 for NEO. Note that lower price does not imply lower total cost of ownership — see the TCO calculator on the Explore page for utilisation-adjusted figures.
Is NEO or NAO V6 actually available to buy?
NEO is open for preorders. NAO V6 is shipping to customers. Status reflects the vendor's published commercial position as of the last review and can change between announcement and actual delivery.
Which is better for ROS-based development: NEO or NAO V6?
NEO has no ROS support; NAO V6 has ROS 1 only. For research and multi-vendor robotics stacks, native ROS 2 is the strongest signal of ecosystem maturity.
Last updated: 2024