How to build openDog V3
12-DoF four-legged robot dog · Intermediate
openDog V3 by James Bruton (XRobots) is a 12-DoF quadruped with 9225 brushless motors, printed cycloidal drives, ODrive 3.6 controllers and AS5047P encoders.
Some soldering, calibration and Linux comfort needed.
Our estimate, part-time
BOM.ods lists parts and suppliers without a total
MIT
What is openDog V3?
openDog V3 is the third version of James Bruton's large open-source dog. Each of its 12 joints is a 90 kV 9225 brushless motor driving a 3D-printed cycloidal reducer, and the knees also use HTD belts.
Six dual-axis ODrive 3.6 boards run the motors, with AS5047P absolute encoders, while a Teensy 4.1 handles balance and gaits. A Teensy LC remote steers it over NRF24.
The repo contains the main STEP assembly, Arduino code and a BOM spreadsheet listing example suppliers.
openDog V3 specifications
- DoF
- 12
- Motors
- 9225 90 kV (Multistar or EaglePower)
- Drivers
- 6× ODrive 3.6
- Encoders
- AS5047P
- MCU
- Teensy 4.1 + Teensy LC remote
Figures as published by the project. See Sources below.
Bill of materials
| Part | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9225 90 kV brushless motor | 12 | |
| ODrive 3.6 | 6 | |
| AS5047P encoder | 12 | |
| HTD 5M 630 mm belt | 4 | |
| 28 mm carbon fiber tube | 4 | |
| MPU6050, NRF24L01, 5 V regulator | — | Dog and remote electronics |
Where's the full bill of materials?
The full BOM, with exact quantities and vendors, lives in the project's own files. Prices change often, so treat Not published as a ballpark. Start at the project repository.
Tools you'll need
- Large-format FDM printer
- Soldering iron
- ODrive tool
- Arduino IDE
Step-by-step build overview
Electronics & wiring overview
The Teensy 4.1 commands six ODrives over serial. The MPU6050 IMU is on I²C, and the NRF24 links to the remote.
Software
The project ships its own firmware and control code. See the repository for setup.
Arduino code for the dog and the remote is in XRobots/openDogV3 (MIT).
Tips from the bench
- ☕ Test new gaits with the dog on a stand, because a fall can strip printed reducers.
openDog V3 FAQ
Where's the V3 code?
In XRobots/openDogV3. The older openDog repo is V1.
Sources
Written by Bots n' Beans from the project's own documentation. Check the sources for the latest revision before you buy parts.
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