Called Poppy, the 33 inch tall robot was designed, printed, and built for about US$11,000. This is around one third of the cost of comparable robots.
Most of the budget is spent on complex servo motors. This includes 21 Robotis Dynamixel MX-28s, at $219 each. Additionally, Poppy is powered by a Raspberry Pi, sees with two HD cameras, and balances using an inertial measurement unit.
Although Poppy is in its infancy, researchers believe in the coming year the robot will walk independently. To help that effort, INRIA will open its design for external development and experimentation.
Given that the robot’s components can be 3D printed or found online, it’s likely this cute little guy will become popular with both researchers and hobbyists alike.
Image Courtesy of Poppy Project