Asimov (Menlo Research)
Asimov v1
Founded 2025·USA·Open-source DIY humanoid kit, developer platform
Units Produced 2024
Pre-production
Total Funding
Unknown (pre-seed/seed stage)
Approach
Open-source reference design for humanoid robotics. Modular snap-together architecture with MJF 3D printed structural parts. Built because Unitree G1 couldn't keep pace with their development needs (2-month knee replacement wait). $15K DIY kit with $499 deposit pre-orders.
Technical Specifications
Height
120 cm (child-sized)
Weight
35 kg
DOF
26-27 (25 actuated + passive toes)
Payload
Unknown
Runtime
Hot-swappable battery modules
Speed
Unknown (walking demos shown)
Price
$15,000 (DIY kit)
Strengths
- +FIRST open-source DIY humanoid kit at accessible price ($15K)
- +Pre-orders LIVE with $499 deposit — shipping soon
- +GitHub repo with CAD files and documentation
- +RSU ankle mechanism: 2 × 36 Nm motors with shared linkage (clever design)
- +MJF 3D printed structural parts — no machine shop needed
- +Modular snap-together design (legs, torso, arms, head)
- +50-100 hour build time — strong UX target
- +18K Twitter/X followers — significant community traction
Vulnerabilities
- −Child-sized (120 cm) — limited payload and reach for industrial tasks
- −No compatibility checker/compiler — no BOM validation
- −Early-stage company — delivery timeline uncertain
- −Unknown compute platform and AI capability tier
- −No compile-or-not-compile validation — buyers trust the BOM blindly
Component Story
Open supply chain reference design. RSU ankle uses two 36 Nm motors through a Revolute-Spherical-Universal shared linkage. Legs cost ~$10K ($8.5K actuators/joints, rest for batteries/controllers). Structural parts are MJF 3D printed for accessibility.
Actuators
Open supply chain (unspecified brands)
Compute
Onboard processing (unspecified) + cloud connectivity
Battery
Hot-swappable standard modules
Sensors
Depth, force, proprioceptive feedback (unspecified brands)
Funding History
| Year | Round | Amount | Lead Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Seed/Pre-seed | Unknown | — |
Key Partners
Menlo Research (parent company)
Competing Platforms
Current Status
Pre-orders open ($499 deposit), shipping in months. GitHub repo live.
Source: Twitter @asimovinc, asimov.inc, menlo.ai (fetched 2026-04-20)