Home/Robots/NAO
AldebaranFrance

NAO

NAO V6 is a 58 cm, 5.48 kg, 25-DoF bipedal humanoid sold by RobotLAB for $16,990 and Generation Robots for €10,020 incl VAT.

PurchasableAnnounced 2006-07-21Arena rating 973
$16,990
Buy nowsource
Price and where to buy
NAO, full body
Photo, background removed
Height
58cm1′11″Source
Weight
5.5kg12 lbSource
Payload
Not disclosed
Runtime
1h60 minSource
Degrees of freedom
25DoFSource
Top speed
Not disclosed
6 real photos

NAO photos

credited to the maker or photographer
Aldebaran NAO humanoid robot crouching and gesturing with both hands.
Aldebaran NAO humanoid robot crouching and gesturing with both hands.Photo: Sailko, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Red and white Aldebaran NAO humanoid robot crouching on one knee against a white background
Red and white Aldebaran NAO humanoid robot crouching on one knee against a white backgroundPhoto: Softbank Robotics Europe, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Aldebaran NAO humanoid robot sitting crouched on an office desk
Aldebaran NAO humanoid robot sitting crouched on an office deskPhoto: This picture belongs to Xavier Caré. Please credit : Xavier Caré / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA. If you would like special permission to use, license, or purchase the image please contact me to negotiate terms. I'd appreciate if you could let me know about it or mail me ( xavier.carepm.me) if you want to use this picture out of the Wikimedia project scope., CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Red and white NAO robot sitting slumped against a wall on a carpeted floor.
Red and white NAO robot sitting slumped against a wall on a carpeted floor.Photo: Jiuguang Wang, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
White and red NAO humanoid robot standing on an office desk.
White and red NAO humanoid robot standing on an office desk.Photo: Jiuguang Wang, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

NAO videos

official and independent footage
Nao RobotIndependent · awesomo2001 · 17y ago · YouTube
Nao Robot Surprise! Ben’s Dream Robot UnboxedIndependent · Bens Stuff · 6y ago · YouTube
NAO Next Gen : the new robot of Aldebaran RoboticsIndependent · NAO by Maxtronics · 14y ago · YouTube
NAO Robot Follow Me Command! Walking With a Humanoid RobotIndependent · Bens Stuff · 6y ago · YouTube

How big is NAO?

NAO stands 58 cm (1 ft 11 in) and weighs 5.5 kg (12 lb), 117 cm shorter than a 175 cm adult.

175 cm
Adult
58 cm
NAO drawn to scale, 58 cm tall
NAO
Compare its size with other robots →

NAO specs

official and sourced figures
Height58 cm (1 ft 11 in)source
Weight5.5 kg (12 lb)source
PayloadNot disclosed
Runtime1 hsource
Degrees of freedom25 DoFsource
Hand DoFNot disclosed
Top speedNot disclosed
HandsHands have tactile sensors (capacitive); no separate hand degrees of freedom, force feedback, or grip specifications were found.
SensorsTwo front-facing 5 MP (OV5640) HD cameras, Four omnidirectional head-mounted microphones, Two 40 mm loudspeakers, Sonar: 2 transmitters/receivers, 40 kHz, 0.20-0.80 m range, Inertial unit: gyrometer + accelerometer, Force sensors: 4 per foot (0-25 N), Tactile sensors: head, hands, feet (capacitive + bumpers), RGB LEDs for eyes, chest button, feet
ComputeIntel Atom E3845 1.91 GHz CPU, 4 GB DDR3 RAM, 32 GB eMMC storage, NAOqi OS (Gentoo-based Linux).

Price and availability

from evidence pack
$16,990
Buy now
NAO price & where to buy →

What the NAO can do

evidence by capability dimension
Manipulation
Tier 1 · spec

NAO V6 has 25 DoF for full-body gestures, walking, and general motion control; hands have capacitive touch sensors but no separate hand DoF or grasping demos were found. Source1 claims NAO performs full-body gestures and dance; Source5 states the 25 joints enable walking and general motion control. No fine manipulation or gripper demonstrations were found.

Autonomy
Tier 3 · company data

Reseller descriptions and the ResearchGate figure caption describe NAO as autonomous and fully programmable. Source6 describes a study where NAO autonomously instructed a human in a modified Box and Blocks test using verbal commands and head-tap progress input. Several video titles from 2009-2024 suggest autonomous behaviors, but no transcripts were reviewed.

Mobility
Tier 2 · demo

NAO is a true bipedal humanoid that walks, balances, recovers from falls, and performs full-body gestures per RobotLAB FAQ. It has 25 joints designed for walking and general motion control. Video titles from Aldebaran and others show NAO demos, but no transcript was available to confirm gait performance. No walking speed or stability metrics found.

Perception
Tier 1 · spec

NAO V6 includes two 5 MP cameras, four microphones, sonar, IMU, force sensors, and tactile sensors. RobotLAB claims NAO can recognize faces and objects; Generation Robots lists voice recognition, computer vision, and distance sensing. No third-party perception benchmark was found.

Human interaction
Tier 3 · company data

NAO is designed for human-robot interaction: 20+ spoken languages, expressive RGB LEDs, touch sensors, and speech/camera-based interaction. RobotLAB describes use in special education and autism support with consistent, low-anxiety engagement. Source6 is a peer-reviewed study where NAO instructed a human participant and recorded progress, demonstrating HRI use.

Reliability
Tier 1 · spec

NAO V6 battery is 62.5 Wh with 60-90 minutes runtime per charge and about 90 minutes recharge. Generation Robots performs pre-shipment functional checks. No long-duration reliability, mean time between failures, or fall recovery rate data was found.

Human-environment fit
Tier 2 · demo

NAO is 58 cm tall, 5.48-5.6 kg, designed with curved white surfaces and short stature to be non-threatening per The Robot Report. It is used in classrooms, labs, and assistive education. No safety certification for the full robot was found.

What is proven

source-backed highlights
  • Purchasable from RobotLAB ($16,990) and Generation Robots (€10,020 incl VAT) with lease options.
  • About 20,000 NAO units sold in 70 countries per Aldebaran/media.
  • USC Robotics Research Lab has 12 NAO units.
  • Peer-reviewed research study used NAO to instruct a human in a task (Source6).

Caveats

read before you trust a demo
  • Six YouTube video sources were provided with titles and dates only; no transcripts or content review was possible
  • No walking speed or payload specification found.
  • No independent autonomy or reliability benchmark.
  • Video demos are title-only and not reviewed.

About the NAO

summary from sourced evidence

NAO V6 is a 58 cm, 5.48 kg, 25-DoF bipedal humanoid sold by RobotLAB for $16,990 and Generation Robots for €10,020 incl VAT. It uses an Intel Atom E3845 with 4 GB RAM, two 5 MP cameras, four microphones, sonar, tactile sensors, and a 62.5 Wh battery rated for 60-90 minutes. About 20,000 units have reportedly been sold in 70 countries; USC has 12 units. It is an education/research platform with Choregraphe, Python, and C++. Autonomy is claimed but not independently benchmarked; video demos exist but were title-only in this review. No payload, walking speed, hand DoF, or manipulation demos were found

Evidence log

tiered public claims
T1
RobotLAB lists NAO V6 as 574 mm tall, 5.48 kg, 25 DoF, Intel Atom E3845, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB storage, two 5 MP cameras, Li-ion 62.5 Wh battery, and ~60-90 min runtime.
directory · 2026-10-29 · source
T1
RobotLAB states NAO is a true bipedal humanoid that walks, balances, recovers from falls, and performs full-body gestures using its 25 joints.
directory · 2026-10-29 · source
T1
RobotLAB sells the NAO V6 Standard Edition for $16,990, including robot, charger, battery, Choregraphe Unlimited license, SDK/API, curriculum, warranty, and support.
directory · 2026-10-29 · source
T1
Generation Robots describes NAO6 as autonomous and fully programmable, aimed at professionals and academics.
directory · 2026-10-29 · source
T1
Generation Robots states NAO V6 battery life is approximately 60 to 90 minutes depending on usage.
directory · 2026-10-29 · source
T1
The Robot Report reports Aldebaran sold about 20,000 Nao robots and 17,000 Pepper humanoids to 70 countries; Maxvision acquired Aldebaran's core assets including Nao and Pepper.
reputable media · 2025-07-19 · source
T1
Aldebaran designed Nao to be non-threatening, shorter than adults, with curved white surfaces.
reputable media · 2025-07-19 · source
T1
SoftBank documentation shows NAO V5/V4 used Atom Z530 1.6 GHz CPU, 1 GB RAM, 2 GB Flash, and 8 GB Micro SDHC.
technical paper · 2026-10-29 · source
T1
An old NAO book states NAO is 57.3 cm tall, 27.3 cm wide, weighs less than 4.3 kg, and has a 21.6V 2Ah lithium-ion battery for up to 90 minutes.
technical paper · 2026-10-29 · source
T1
The NAO humanoid consists of 25 joints that enable walking and general motion control.
technical paper · 2026-10-29 · source
T3
A ResearchGate publication describes using NAO to give instructions to a human performing a modified Box and Blocks test, with the robot recording progress via head taps.
technical paper · 2018-04-01 · source
T3
The USC Robotics Research Lab currently has 12 NAO robots, 10 of which are NAO H25 V4.0.
reputable media · 2026-10-29 · source
T1
Engadget reported Aldebaran Robotics planned to deliver the Nao humanoid household robot by 2007, running Linux, with WiFi and URBI programming.
reputable media · 2006-07-21 · source

NAO alternatives

all alternatives →
RobotCompanyStatusPriceHeightRatingEvidence
Booster T2
China · Research
Booster RoboticsPurchasableFrom €22,500140 cm
978
C
EngineAI PM01
China · Research
EngineAIPurchasableCN¥88,000138 cm
775
C-
LimX Oli
China · Research
LimX DynamicsPurchasableFrom CN¥158,000165 cm
1,008
C
Unitree G1
China · Research
Unitree RoboticsPurchasable$13,500132 cm
1,268
B+
Booster K1
China · Research
Booster RoboticsPurchasableFrom $4,99995 cm
1,000
B-
Noetix N2
China · Research
Noetix RoboticsPurchasableFrom CN¥39,000118 cm
885
C

NAO FAQ

answers from sourced data

How much does the NAO cost?

$16,990. That is the published list price. Configurations, shipping and import duties change the final cost.

Can you buy the NAO?

Yes. The NAO is sold today through the official store and resellers.

How tall is the NAO?

The NAO is 58 cm (1 ft 11 in) tall according to Aldebaran's published specs.

How much does the NAO weigh?

It weighs 5.5 kg (12 lb) according to official specs.

How long does the NAO battery last?

Aldebaran lists a runtime of about 1 h per charge. This is a company figure, not an independent test.

Who makes the NAO?

The NAO is made by Aldebaran, based in France.

Is the NAO autonomous or teleoperated?

Public demos of the NAO are marked "disclosed teleoperated" in our evidence review. Treat promotional footage as unverified unless the company states how it was controlled.

Sources

14 references
  1. NAO V6 Humanoid Robot — Price, Specs & Demo · RobotLAB
  2. Programmable Humanoïd Robot NAO V6 · Génération Robots
  3. Maxvision buys core robot assets of Aldebaran, including Nao and Pepper · The Robot Report
  4. Motherboard — Aldebaran 2.1.4.13 documentation · SoftBank Robotics Documentation
  5. Using Nao: To Interactive Humanoid Robots · Scribd
  6. Fig. 2: Aldebaran's NAO robot is an autonomous, programmable humanoid robot · ResearchGate
  7. Nao · University of Southern California
  8. Aldebaran Robotics promises humanoid 'Nao' robot by 2007 · Engadget
  9. Meet NAO, a Fully Programmable Humanoid Robot | The New York Times · YouTube The New York Times
  10. NAO Next Gen : the new robot of Aldebaran Robotics · YouTube NAO by Maxtronics
  11. Nao Robot · YouTube awesomo2001
  12. Nao the Robot Chef #Aldebarannao #homerobot #humanoidrobot · YouTube Nao and Cozmo Adventures
  13. Whole-body Imitation of Human Motions with a Nao Humanoid: Real-time teleoperation · YouTube Humanoids Bonn
  14. Week 1: NAO Robot Review! The Humanoid Robot That Started It All · YouTube Bens Stuff