While we’re still a ways off from building the robots you see in science fiction, we’ve come very far in recent years. Most importantly, it is now possible to build a robotic cat. The SmallKat kit is a 16 DOF open source and 3D-printed quadrupedal platform you can build yourself.
The kit was designed by two Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) students: Keion Bisland and Xavier Little, combined with framework code from Kevin Harrington. The goal was to create an open source robotics platform for the purposes of education, research, and possibly high-end toy markets.
The combination of common electronic components and low-cost servos also keep the price down in comparison to other competitors. The components include a single ESP32, 16 servos, 3 switch mode BECs, and a BNO055 IMU. All of the data streams from the WiFi in the ESP32.
The actual parts are all 3D-printed plastic as well, making this a kit that’s both accessible and relatively affordable in the world of robotics. The design is their 2019 Hackaday Prize entry so there are plenty of details available. There’s still time to get your own entry into the Hackaday Prize, which begins the judging rounds in just one one month.
