SE01 vs Pepper: Specs, Price & ROS Support Compared (2024)
EngineAI Robotics vs SoftBank Robotics / Aldebaran — independent, side-by-side analysis.
Quick Verdict
SE01 leads in more DOF, faster speed, lower price, while Pepper leads in longer runtime. Overall, SE01 has an edge in 3 out of 4 compared categories.
SE01
EngineAI Robotics
Pepper
SoftBank Robotics / Aldebaran
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SE01 Pepper
Specifications
$20,000Price$32,000
170 cmHeight120 cm
55 kgWeight28 kg
32DOF20
—Payload—
2hRuntime12h
2 m/sSpeed0.83 m/s
YesStairsNo
YesLiDARNo
N/AComputeIntel Atom Z530
Pros and cons at a glance
SE01
Pros
- Shipping to customers (verified commercial availability)
- Ships with LiDAR for robust depth sensing in low-light environments
- 32 degrees of freedom — full-body articulation
Cons
- Short runtime (120 min) — frequent recharging or battery swaps
- Closed software stack — no public SDK or ROS support
Pepper
Pros
- Long runtime (12h per charge) for full-shift operation
Cons
- Discontinued by the manufacturer
- Cannot navigate stairs — restricts deployment environments
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper: SE01 or Pepper?
SE01 is cheaper at $20,000 vs $32,000 for Pepper. 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 SE01 or Pepper actually available to buy?
SE01 is shipping to customers. Pepper has been discontinued. 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: SE01 or Pepper?
SE01 has no ROS support; Pepper has ROS 1 only. For research and multi-vendor robotics stacks, native ROS 2 is the strongest signal of ecosystem maturity.
Does SE01 or Pepper use LiDAR?
SE01 ships with LiDAR for depth sensing; Pepper does not. LiDAR adds cost and complexity but improves obstacle detection in low-light or low-contrast environments.
Last updated: 2024