Design of Q8bot: A Miniature, Low-Cost, Dynamic Quadruped Built with Zero Wires

Abstract

This paper introduces Q8bot <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup>, an open-source, miniature quadruped designed for robotics research and education. We present the robot’s novel, zero-wire design method-ology, which leads to its superior form factor, robustness, replicability, and high performance. With the size and weight similar to a modern smartphone, this standalone robot can walk hour-long on a single battery charge and can survive meter-high drops with simple repairs. Its $300 bill of materials contains minimal off-the-shelf components, readily available custom electronics from online vendors, and structural parts that can be manufactured on hobbyist 3D-printers. A preliminary user assembly study confirms that Q8bot can be easily replicated, with an average assembly time of under one hour by a single person. With heuristic open-loop control, Q8bot is capable of a stable walking speed of 5.4 body lengths per second and a turning speed of 5 radians per second, along with other dynamic movements such as jumping and climbing moderate slopes.