Asimov

Asimov is Menlo’s open-source humanoid ecosystem. It consists of three interconnected components that together enable a humanoid labor force:

1. Asimov OS — The operating system that runs on humanoid robots
2. Asimov Humanoid — The open-source reference humanoid robot design
3. Supply Chain — An open, permissionless ecosystem of component manufacturers and OEMs

Why name it Asimov?

Named after Isaac Asimov , the science fiction author who envisioned robots as helpers—machines that could serve humanity if designed with care. His Three Laws of Robotics  remain a foundational framework for safe, beneficial machines:

3 Laws of Robotics

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

We name our reference humanoid in that spirit: a robot that augments human capability rather than replacing it, built with safety, reliability, and purpose from the ground up.

The Menlo Stack in Action

Asimov demonstrates the complete Menlo Stack:

• Agent — An agent developer builds an agent in a standard framework. That agent is the autonomy payload.
• Skills — The agent learns motor skills (doing the dishes, dancing, manipulation) through real-world data.
• Simulation — The agent runs in a digital twin, validating behavior before physical deployment.
• Deployment — The agent is embodied into the robot with a single configuration step.
• Telemetry — Real-time feedback enables rapid iteration on the agent.