Summary of DINGOQUADRUPED IS A CHEAP CANINE-LIKE ROBOT
The Dingo Quadruped is an open-source, affordable quadruped robot inspired by the Stanford Pupper and resembling Spot. Designed for students and researchers, it costs under $1,500, weighs about 3 kg, and is roughly shoebox-sized. It uses wireless gamepad control, three high-torque servos per leg, a Raspberry Pi as the main controller, and an Arduino Nano for analog interfacing. The modular chassis eases hardware additions, making it suitable for teaching and experimentation.
Parts used in the Dingo Quadruped:
- Three high-torque servo motors per leg (12 total)
- Raspberry Pi (main controller)
- Arduino Nano (for interfacing analog sensors and additional hardware)
- Modular chassis components
- Wireless game controller
- Analog sensors (optional, interfaced via Arduino Nano)
- Power supply / batteries suitable for a ~3 kg robot
- Mechanical fasteners and linkages for legs
Robot humanoids are cool, but also a bit hard to make work as they only have two legs to stand on. Four-legged robots can be a bit more approachable. The Dingo Quadruped aims to be just such an open-source platform for teaching and experimentation purposes.
The robot is based on the Stanford Pupper, a robot platform we’ve discussed previously. It bears a design not dissimilar from the popular Spot robot from Boston Dynamics. Where Spot costs tens of thousands of dollars, though, Dingo is far cheaper, intended for cheap production by students and researchers for less than $1,500.
The robot weighs around 3 kg, and is approximately the size of a shoebox. Control over the robot is via a wireless game controller. Each leg uses three high-torque servo motors, which are elegantly placed to reduce the inertia of the leg itself. A Raspberry Pi runs the show, with an Arduino Nano also onboard for interfacing analog sensors or additional hardware. The chassis itself has a highly modular design, with a focus on making it easy to add additional hardware.
If you want to get started experimenting with quadruped robots, the Dingo might just be the perfect platform for you. Video after the break.
Source: DINGOQUADRUPED IS A CHEAP CANINE-LIKE ROBOT
- What is the Dingo Quadruped designed for?
It is designed as an open-source platform for teaching and experimentation with quadruped robots. - How much does the Dingo Quadruped cost to produce?
The project is intended for production for less than $1,500. - How is the Dingo controlled?
Control is via a wireless game controller. - What computes the robot's behavior?
A Raspberry Pi runs the main control of the robot. - Why is there an Arduino Nano onboard?
An Arduino Nano is included for interfacing analog sensors or additional hardware. - How many motors does each leg use?
Each leg uses three high-torque servo motors. - How heavy and what size is the robot?
The robot weighs around 3 kg and is approximately the size of a shoebox. - Is the chassis customizable?
Yes, the chassis has a highly modular design to make adding additional hardware easy.
