Digit vs NAO V6: Specs, Price & ROS Support Compared (2022)
Agility Robotics (Amazon) vs Aldebaran (Maxvision) — independent, side-by-side analysis.
Quick Verdict
Digit leads in longer runtime, faster speed, while NAO V6 leads in more DOF, lower price. The two robots are evenly matched, each excelling in different areas.
Digit
Agility Robotics (Amazon)
NAO V6
Aldebaran (Maxvision)
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Digit NAO V6
Specifications
$250,000Price$16,990
175 cmHeight58 cm
65 kgWeight5.6 kg
16DOF25
16 kgPayload—
4hRuntime1h
1.5 m/sSpeed0.5 m/s
YesStairsNo
YesLiDARNo
N/AComputeIntel 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
55
Digit
/100
70
NAO V6
ROS2 compatible, Python SDK. Closed source. Limited public docs.
NAOqi + Choregraphe. Massive academic community. Future uncertain post-bankruptcy.
Pros and cons at a glance
Digit
Pros
- Shipping to customers (verified commercial availability)
- Ships with LiDAR for robust depth sensing in low-light environments
Cons
- Premium pricing at $250,000 — enterprise budgets only
- Limited articulation (16 DOF)
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: Digit or NAO V6?
NAO V6 is cheaper at $16,990 vs $250,000 for Digit. Note that lower price does not imply lower total cost of ownership — see the TCO calculator on the Explore page for utilisation-adjusted figures.
Are both Digit and NAO V6 shipping to customers?
Yes. Both are commercially available as of the last review. Delivery timelines and customer geographies vary per vendor — check the manufacturer page for each.
Which is better for ROS-based development: Digit or NAO V6?
Digit has ros2; NAO V6 has ROS 1 only. For research and multi-vendor robotics stacks, native ROS 2 is the strongest signal of ecosystem maturity.
Does Digit or NAO V6 use LiDAR?
Digit ships with LiDAR for depth sensing; NAO V6 does not. LiDAR adds cost and complexity but improves obstacle detection in low-light or low-contrast environments.
Last updated: 2022