Before You Start

This is the right place to start if you are deciding whether Asimov 1 is for you.

Asimov 1 is a full humanoid system. Expect substantial integration work across mechanical structures, power, electronics, and controls.

You are basically building an entire humanoid robot from scratch. Just with all the parts and tech support. There is no faster way to understand humanoid robotics from the ground up.

Here Be Dragons

Asimov 1 is closer in complexity to a car, than a weekend toy project. It is unsafe if you don't know what you're doing. And have we mentioned it's really, really hard yet?

Why Asimov

You should build Asimov 1 if you want:

Detailed understanding of how a humanoid works: nuts & bolts to software

A customizable, repairable robot built from off-the-shelf parts

A transparent stack for learning, research, and building applications

A framework for reasoning about robotics and spatial intelligence

A community codesigning an open humanoid standard together

Why NOT Asimov

Asimov 1 is clunky, and not a polished consumer product

It is dangerous if you don't know what you're doing

It is time consuming

It is expensive (~$15k to do a lot of work and learning)

Expected Effort

You should expected to spend 50-100 hours putting it together from:

procurement and part preparation (if self-sourcing)

fabrication and finishing (if self-sourcing)

mechanical assembly

wiring and electronics checks

bring-up, debugging, and calibration

simulation and policy validation before any walking attempt

The exact build time and cost will depend on whether you are sourcing parts independently or starting from the Kit, how much fabrication you do yourself, and how much prior robotics experience you already have.

Safety

Treat Asimov 1 as powered electromechanical hardware, not as a toy.

Before working on the robot, make sure you have:

a stable workspace with room to support or suspend the robot safely

a plan for power isolation and emergency shutdown

basic electrical test tools such as a multimeter

a controlled bring-up process for motors, wiring, and motion tests

Do not attempt first power-on, homing, or motion tests casually. Early mistakes in wiring, joint direction, or configuration can damage components or create unsafe motion.

Safety first

Initial bring-up and locomotion tests should only be done in a controlled setup with the robot restrained, supported, or otherwise prevented from falling unexpectedly.

What success looks like

For most builders, success should be evaluated in stages:

You understand the system architecture and have the required parts, tools, and workspace.

The hardware is assembled correctly and passes basic electrical and mechanical checks.

The robot can be powered, homed, and verified safely.

The software and simulation stack are configured well enough to validate the control path.

The robot reaches stable real-world operation and locomotion behavior on hardware.

The right first milestone is usually not “make it walk immediately.” The right first milestone is a clean, safe, verifiable bring-up.

Where to go next

Read the Quickstart for the structure of the manual and the recommended reading order.

Go to Hardware Design if you want to understand the robot before sourcing parts.

Review the V1 Bill of Materials for the current supplier-facing parts list.

Visit asimov.inc for the broader project overview.

Visit the Asimov DIY Kit if you are evaluating the broader full-body hardware package.