Phoenix vs ASIMO: Specs, Price & ROS Support Compared (2023)
Sanctuary AI vs Honda — independent, side-by-side analysis.
Quick Verdict
Phoenix leads in higher payload, while ASIMO leads in more DOF, faster speed. Overall, ASIMO has an edge in 2 out of 3 compared categories.
Phoenix
Sanctuary AI
ASIMO
Honda
DNA Fingerprint Overlay
Phoenix ASIMO
Specifications
Contact (enterprise). Phoenix Gen 8 still in development; since mid-2026 Sanctuary also sells its Carbon control software on third-party industrial robotsPriceNever sold commercially; program ended 2022. Honda's follow-on R&D is the teleoperated Avatar Robot with a 16-joint multi-fingered hand (Humanoids Summit Tokyo, May 2026)
170 cmHeight130 cm
70 kgWeight48 kg
41DOF57
25 kgPayload1 kg
—Runtime1h
0.83 m/sSpeed2.5 m/s
YesStairsYes
NoLiDARNo
Carbon AI system (Microsoft Azure)ComputeProprietary Honda embedded systems
Ecosystem Openness
8
Phoenix
/100
—
ASIMO
Carbon AI fully proprietary. Microsoft Azure backend.
Pros and cons at a glance
Phoenix
Pros
- High rated payload (25 kg) for industrial pick-and-place
- 41 degrees of freedom — full-body articulation
Cons
- Still in development, no commercial availability
- Unit price not publicly disclosed (quote-on-request or enterprise-only)
- Closed software stack — no public SDK or ROS support
ASIMO
Pros
- 57 degrees of freedom — full-body articulation
Cons
- Discontinued by the manufacturer
- Unit price not publicly disclosed (quote-on-request or enterprise-only)
- Low rated payload (1 kg) — research or light-handling tasks only
- Short runtime (60 min) — frequent recharging or battery swaps
Frequently asked questions
How do Phoenix and ASIMO compare on price?
Phoenix: Contact (enterprise). Phoenix Gen 8 still in development; since mid-2026 Sanctuary also sells its Carbon control software on third-party industrial robots. ASIMO: Never sold commercially; program ended 2022. Honda's follow-on R&D is the teleoperated Avatar Robot with a 16-joint multi-fingered hand (Humanoids Summit Tokyo, May 2026).
Which has higher payload: Phoenix or ASIMO?
Phoenix rates a higher payload at 25 kg vs 1 kg. Payload ratings are vendor claims and do not always include a duty cycle — peak vs sustained payload can differ significantly.
Is Phoenix or ASIMO actually available to buy?
Phoenix is in active development without commercial availability. ASIMO has been discontinued. Status reflects the vendor's published commercial position as of the last review and can change between announcement and actual delivery.
Last updated: 2023