Xiaomi has announced its open-source quadruped robot, CyberDog which allows developers to “build upon” and create new applications. The robot is similar in design to Boston Dynamic’s Spot. It is also a model built to show off the engineering capabilities and knowledge of Xiaomi which includes its proprietary servo motors.
The robot runs on a version of NVIDIA’s Jetson Xavier NX which is called the world’s smallest AI supercomputer. The CyberDog has sensors all over its body which amounts to 11 in total. The sensors include touch, ultrasonic sensors, cameras, and GPS. All these sensors help it to come in contact with the surroundings and take appropriate actions when needed. It will allow the robot to follow its owner and also overcome any obstacle on its way. It also helps to identify posture and also helps in figuring out individuals in a group by tracking human faces.
The company is not planning to make it available for general-sale, rather it will release 1,000 of these robots to interested individuals as well as engineers and robotics enthusiasts. This is to help the company in exploring the possibilities of CyberDog. It will be done through the open-source community hosted by Xiaomi. This might also possibly lead to the development of a robotics laboratory for any possible innovations.
The price for this CyberDog is around $1,540 or 9,999 yuan. Interested people can take it home by spending this amount.
