Robotic Dog

This was a solo project I completed for a class, where I decided to challenge myself by designing and building the entire quadruped robot dog on my own. I handled every aspect of the mechanical design, CAD modeling, wiring, and assembly, creating all the structural and plastic components through 3D printing. My main focus was on achieving balanced, ergonomic motion and structural efficiency, ensuring smooth and realistic leg movement powered by LX-16A servos.

Planning

Before starting this project, I anticipated it would be challenging. To ensure my idea was feasible, I sketched the robot on paper to visualize the design as a whole. Using the specifications from the data sheets of all the components I planned to use, I calculated the optimal weight, limb lengths, and the expected speeds the robot could achieve.

The CAD

After completing the planning phase, I used SolidWorks to create a detailed CAD model of the robot, incorporating all the components into the design.

Assembled Robot

Testing

Once the robot was assembled, I programmed it with basic walking code to test its functionality. This ensured that both the hardware and software were working as planned.

Robot Gait Neural Network

My brother and I are currently working on developing a Robot Gait Neural Network to teach the robot how to walk. The project is still in progress, but our goal is to use this data-driven approach to create smooth and efficient walking motions for the robot. By leveraging machine learning, we aim to optimize the gait for various terrains and conditions.