ROS: Mini Pupper is based on ROS, now version is Melodic, updating to Noetic, will try ROS2 and swarm Mini Puppers after Oct. You can control it just like TurtleBot.
OpenCV: Support new OpenCV official 3D module, will release the demo after 15th Sep. (the OpenCV module is still under confidentiality until 15th Sep. )
Open-source: DIY and custom what you want, won a Hackaday Prize.
Pi: it’s super expandable.
ROS Navigation Demo
Problem
During the dog days of summer, you maybe see many demos from Boston Dynamics Spot Mini, and so on, many guys want to own their own robot dog to explore the functions, but the price is too high, and it is not easy for most people to explore the robot dog features.
TurtleBot is very convenient for wheeled robot study, but not legged robots. That means, there is no ROS, OpenCV, open-source robot dog platform to study at less than $1,000USD.
Beginning last year, we shipped many Stanford Pupper units worldwide. After such global success with Pupper, we took to heart all the feedback from this endeavor. What do our customers want in our products? What kind of products do they like? After more than 11 months pursuing these requests, we would like to show you what we came up with. Mini Pupper!
Solution and Product
Mini Pupper is the ROS, open-source robot dog platform that supports ROS SLAM, Navigation, and other OpenCV AI features with Lidar, camera, and other sensors. It’s really a Boston Dynamics Spot Robot Dog in the Palm and legged “TurtleBot” for study at less than $500USD.
ROS SLAM Demo
ROS Object Tracking Demo
Mini Pupper will make robotics easier for schools, homeschool families, enthusiasts, and beyond.
How to Work Smarter
The main software improvement from Pupper is our FSN (Full Self-Navigation) system, based on ROS+OpenCV. We are moving forward to the FSN target step by step. The interface is also open, we absolutely welcome people to contribute to the project. If you want to join us and move together with us, please don’t hesitate to send us an email (afreez@mangdang.net) or join in our Mini Pupper | Facebook
How to Build
To get started, check out the pages linked below on part sourcing and assembly.
- BOM list: PupperMiniBOMList.xlsx - Google Drive
- Fusion 360 CAD model: Fusion
- Assembly Instructions: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12Xbnqv3Rm7TEcjBZVSbVkBVNKNO3IOfm/view?usp=sharing
- Software Installation: https://github.com/mangdangroboticsclub/QuadrupedRobot/blob/pupper-mini/Doc/guide/software_installation.rst
- Calibration Instruction and video guide: PupperMini.HackerVersion.Calibration.docx - Google Drive
- Robot operation: Robot operation — Stanford Pupper 2020 documentation
How to Purchase
If you purchase the parts yourself one by one, it’ll run you about $800 and more time. However, you can purchase a kit to build the robot from our channel for cheaper and one-stop shopping. (Mini Pupper will go live on Kickstarter in September soon, will re-open the Amazon and Aliexpress channels after the campaign.)
- Amazon channel: Mini Pupper Amazon US, Mini Pupper Amazon Japan
- Paypal channel: MangDang Paypal account is afreez.gan@gmail.com
- Aliexpress channel: Mini Pupper Aliexpress
Link to the project page: https://github.com/mangdangroboticsclub/QuadrupedRobot/tree/MiniPupper
Special thanks to Nathan Kau
Mini Pupper is supported by Nathan Kau from Stanford Student Robotics.
About MangDang Technology Co., Limited
We are a global team with members from many countries and regions such as the United States, Japan, Canada, Europe, UK, China, and so on.
Very appreciated if you can give us any advice and support!
