PAWDQ: A 3D Printed, Open Source, Low Cost Dynamic Quadruped

Abstract

In this paper we present a new open source dynamic quadruped robot, PADWQ (pronounced pa-dook). In contrast to other quadruped robots that are either relying upon custom actuators and machined metal parts, or low-torque, high-gain servomotors that seriously limit the dynamic performance of the robot, the suggested robot consists entirely of 3D printed plastic structural parts and off-the-shelf commercial components, which allows for a rapid duplication, modification and distribution of the robot for various education and research purposes. It has 12 torque controlled quasi-direct drive (QDD) joints with a close loop control rate of 1 kHz, as well as onboard RGBD camera and GPU-equipped perception computer that can map the terrain and detect various objects in front of the robot. Preliminary test results show that the PADWQ is capable of dynamic trot-walking at the speed of 1 meter per second, even with a relatively simple motion controller.