Build steps are in a YouTube series, with no written guide or ready-to-print files.
openDog V3 is a large, dog-sized quadruped by James Bruton (XRobots) using brushless motors with 3D-printed cycloidal gearboxes and belt drives, controlled by ODrive boards. The design was developed in a YouTube video series, and the repo holds the CAD as STEP files, the parts list and Arduino code for walking and inverse kinematics.
At a glance
| Parts cost | $2,800–$3,400 (2023) builder · One builder reported a total of about 2,500 to 3,000 EUR source ↗ |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 4/5 Advanced · Large brushless build with ODrive tuning, printed gearboxes and no written assembly guide. |
| Build time | Not stated |
| Tools needed | 3D printer (large PLA parts, 0.3 mm layers), silicone casting for feet, CAD software to export STLs from STEP, ODrive configuration |
| Motors | 12 brushless motors with 3D-printed cycloidal drives, driven by six ODrive 3.6 boards |
| Controller | Microcontroller with LCD menu and custom radio remote (board model unconfirmed) |
| Sensors | AS5047 absolute magnetic encoders |
| Published | ✓ Parts list✓ CAD/STL✗ Assembly guide✗ Wiring✓ Software✓ Video GitHub README + BOM.ods + STEP CAD + YouTube build series |
| Activity | Last update 2023-03-19 · 488 GitHub stars · 105 forks; XRobots YouTube audience |
| Kits | None known |
Licenses
| Design files | MIT (same repo license covers the CAD folder) source ↗ |
|---|---|
| Code | MIT source ↗ |
| Documentation | MIT (README only) source ↗ |
Builder notes
Practical points from the project's issue tracker, forum and docs, each linked to its source.
- The author declined to export STLs, so builders must split the STEP assembly into printable parts themselves. Some CAD programs import the Fusion 360 STEP as one solid. source ↗
- The six ODrive 3.6 boards were the costliest item at about 1,500 USD in 2022. The author warned that cheap clones may have different pin mappings and firmware problems. source ↗
- The author used the 56 V ODrive version so a fully charged 6S LiPo stays within its rating. source ↗
- A builder who finished one estimated 2,500-3,000 EUR in total, with drives, controllers and bearings alone about 1,850 EUR. The timing belts used were 9 mm wide, a detail missing from the parts list. source ↗
- Everything is printed in PLA, with 4 perimeters at 0.3 mm layers and higher infill on the cycloidal drive parts. source ↗
Other quadrupeds plans
- Kame32 (MiniKame successor) · $90–$100 · difficulty 2/5
- Stanford Pupper (servo version) · $900–$1,000 (2024) · difficulty 3/5
- Spot Micro (SpotMicroAI) · $420–$510 · difficulty 3/5
- SpotMicroESP32 Leika · $230–$600 · difficulty 3/5
- Pupper v3 · $2,000 · difficulty 4/5
- ODRI Solo 12 · $7,100 (2022) · difficulty 5/5
- Mini Pupper (MangDang) · $760 · difficulty 2/5
- Dingo Quadruped · $900 · difficulty 3/5
- Stanford Pupper v2.1 (DJI motor version) · $1,600 (2023) · difficulty 4/5